Proverbs 7

Revised Geneva Translation

7 My son, keep my words, and hide my commandments with you.

² Keep my commandments, and you shall live; and my instruction, as the apple of your eyes.

³ Bind them upon your fingers. Write them upon the tablet of your heart.

⁴ Say to wisdom, “You are my sister”. And call understanding, “kinswoman”.

⁵ That they may keep you from the strange woman; from the strange who is smooth in her words.

⁶ As in the window of my house, I looked through my window.

⁷ And I saw among the fools, considered among the children, a young man destitute of understanding.

⁸ Who passed through the street by her corner and went toward her house;

⁹ in the twilight, in the evening, when the night began to be black and dark.

¹⁰ And behold, he was met by a woman with a harlot’s behavior, and subtle in heart.

¹¹ (She is babbling and loud. Her feet cannot stay in her house.

¹² Now outside. Now in the streets; lying in wait at every corner)

¹³ So she caught him and kissed him. And with an impudent face, said to him,

¹⁴ “I have peace offerings. Today I have paid my vows.

¹⁵ “Therefore I came forth to meet you, that I might seek your face. And I have found you.

¹⁶ “I have decked my bed with ornaments, carpets and laces of Egypt.

¹⁷ “I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.

¹⁸ “Come, let us take our fill of love until the morning. Let us take our pleasure in dalliance.

¹⁹ “For my husband is not at home. He is gone on a far-off journey.

²⁰ “He has taken with him a bag of silver and will come home at the day appointed.”

²¹ Thus with her great craftiness she caused him to yield. And with her flattering lips she enticed him.

²² And he followed her immediately, as an ox that goes to the slaughter; and as a fool to the stocks for correction,

²³ till an arrow strikes through his liver. As a bird hastes to the snare, not knowing that he is in danger.

²⁴ Hear me now, therefore, O children, and listen to the words of my mouth.

²⁵ Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways. Do not wander in her paths.

²⁶ For she has caused many to fall down wounded; the strong men all slain by her.

²⁷ Her house is the way to the grave which goes down to the chambers of death.