THE
PROVERBS
Proverbs 7 ©
Solomon exhorts to familiar, intimate and strong society with wisdom, verse 1, etc. To be preserved from dangers of unchaste women, 5. Whereof he propounds a notable example, representing most lively the cunning practices of an adulterous woman, and the stupid and senseless seducing of a young man, with an earnest exhortation to beware of such kind of lewdness, 6, etc.
MY son, keep my words, and 1lay up my commandments with thee.
Keepa my commandments, and 2live; and my 3law as 4the apple of thine eye.b
5Bindc them upon thy fingers, 6write them upon the table of thine heart.
7Say unto wisdom, Thou art my sister; and call understanding thy 8kinswoman:
Thatd they may keep thee from the 9strange woman, from the stranger 10which flattereth with her words.
¶11For at the window of my house I looked through my casement,
And beheld among the 12simple ones, I 13discerned among the 14youths, a young man 15void of understanding,
Passing through the street near 16her corner; and he went the way 17to her house,
18In the twilight, in the evening, in the 19black and dark night:
And, behold, there met him a woman with the 20attire of an harlot, and 21subtil of heart.
(Sheeis 22loud and 23stubborn; her feet 24abide not in her house:
25Now is she without, now in the streets, and lieth in wait at every corner.)
So she caught him, and kissed him, and with an 26impudent face said unto him,
I have 27peace offerings with me; this day have I 28payed my 29vows.
Therefore came I forth to meet thee, 30diligently to seek thy face, and I have found thee.
I have decked my bed with coverings of 31tapestry, 32with carved works, 33with fine linen of Egypt.
I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
Come, let us take our 34fill of love until the morning: let us solace ourselves with 35loves.
For 36the goodmanfis not at home, he is gone 37a long journey:
He hath taken 38a bag of money 39with him, and will come home 40at the day appointed.
With her much fair 41speech she 42caused him to yield, with 43the flattering of her lips she forced him.
He goeth after her straightway, as an ox goeth to the slaughter, or 44as a fool to 45the correction of the stocks;g
Till 46a dart strike through 47his liver; ash a bird hasteth to the snare, and knoweth not that it is 48for his life.
¶Hearken unto me now therefore, O ye 49children, and attend to the words of my mouth.
Let not thine heart decline to her 50ways, go not astray in her paths.
For she hath cast down many wounded: yea, 51many strong men have been 52slain by her.
Heri house is the way 53to hell, going down to the chambers 54of death.