Proverbs

Proverbs 7 ©

1 Solomon recommendeth obedience to his precepts, and such a familiarity with wisdom as may prove a guard to chastity. 6 In a recital of what had passed under his own eye he sheweth the cunning and impudence of a lewd woman, and the desperate folly of a youth seduced by her: 24 he dissuadeth from such dangerous courses.

1

MY ason, keep my words, and lay up my commandments with thee.

2

bKeep my commandments, and live; and my law cas the *apple of thine eye.

3

dBind them upon thy fingers, write them upon the *table of thine heart.

4

eSay unto wisdom, Thou art fmy sister; and call understanding thy kinswoman:

f Ca. 4.9.
5

That gthey may keep thee from the *strange woman, from the stranger which flattereth with her words.

6

¶For at the window of my house I looked through my casement,

7

And beheld among the simple ones, I discerned among 1the youths, a young man hvoid of understanding,

8

Passing through the street near her corner; and he iwent the way to her house,

i ch. 5.8.
9

In jthe twilight, 2in the evening, in the black and dark night:

10

And, behold, there met him a woman with the kattire of an harlot, and *subtil of heart.

11

(lShe is loud and stubborn; her feet abide not in her house:

12

mNow is she *without, now in the streets, and lieth in wait at every corner.)

13

So nshe caught him, and kissed him, and 3with an impudent face said unto him,

14

4I have opeace offerings with me; this day have I payed my vows.

15

Therefore came I forth to meet thee, diligently to seek thy face, and I have found thee.

16

I have decked my bed with coverings of tapestry, with carved works, with pfine linen 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 solace ourselves with loves.

19

For the *goodman is not at home, he is gone a long journey:

20

He hath taken a bag of money 5with him, and will come home at 6the day appointed.

21

qWith her much fair speech she caused him to yield, with the rflattering of her lips she forced him.

22

He goeth after her 7straightway, as an ox goeth to the slaughter, or as a fool to the scorrection of the stocks;

23

tTill a dart strike through his liver; as a bird hasteth to the snare, and knoweth not that it is for his life.

24

uHearken unto me now therefore, O ye children, and attend to the words of my mouth.

25

vLet not thine heart *decline to her ways, go not astray in her paths.

26

For she hath cast down many wounded: yea, many wstrong men have been slain by her.

27

Her xhouse is the way to hell, going down to ythe chambers of death.