PROVERBS
CHAPTER 7

Warning Against the Adulteress

¹ My son, keep my words
and store up my commands within you.
² Keep my commands and you will live;
guard my teachings as the apple of your eye.
³ Bind them on your fingers;
write them on the tablet of your heart.
⁴ Say to wisdom, "You are my sister,"
and call understanding your kinsman;
⁵ they will keep you from the adulteress,
from the wayward wife with her seductive words.

⁶ At the window of my house
I looked out through the lattice.
⁷ I saw among the simple,
I noticed among the young men,
a youth who lacked judgment.
⁸ He was going down the street near her corner,
walking along in the direction of her house
⁹ at twilight, as the day was fading,
as the dark of night set in.

¹⁰ Then out came a woman to meet him,
dressed like a prostitute and with crafty intent.
¹¹ (She is loud and defiant,
her feet never stay at home;
¹² now in the street, now in the squares,
at every corner she lurks.)
¹³ She took hold of him and kissed him
and with a brazen face she said:

¹⁴ "I have fellowship offerings ^[1] at home;
today I fulfilled my vows.
¹⁵ So I came out to meet you;
I looked for you and have found you!
¹⁶ I have covered my bed
with colored linens from Egypt.
¹⁷ I have perfumed my bed
with myrrh, aloes and cinnamon.
¹⁸ Come, let's drink deep of love till morning;
let's enjoy ourselves with love!
¹⁹ My husband is not at home;
he has gone on a long journey.
²⁰ He took his purse filled with money
and will not be home till full moon."

²¹ With persuasive words she led him astray;
she seduced him with her smooth talk.
²² All at once he followed her
like an ox going to the slaughter,
like a deer ^[2] stepping into a noose ^[3]
23 till an arrow pierces his liver,
like a bird darting into a snare,
little knowing it will cost him his life.

²⁴ Now then, my sons, listen to me;
pay attention to what I say.
²⁵ Do not let your heart turn to her ways
or stray into her paths.
²⁶ Many are the victims she has brought down;
her slain are a mighty throng.
²⁷ Her house is a highway to the grave, ^[4]
leading down to the chambers of death.

Footnotes

1. 7:14 Traditionally peace offerings
2. 7:22 Syriac (see also Septuagint); Hebrew fool
3. 7:22 The meaning of the Hebrew for this line is uncertain.
4. 7:27 Hebrew Sheol

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Bible text from Gospelcom.net.  Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society.

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