1My son, keep my words and treasure up my commandments with you; (Pr 2:1)2keep my commandments and live; keep my teaching as the apple of your eye; (De 32:10; Pr 4:4)3bind them on your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart. (Pr 3:3)4Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,” and call insight your intimate friend,5to keep you from the forbidden[1] woman, from the adulteress[2] with her smooth words. (Pr 2:16)6For at the window of my house I have looked out through my lattice, (Jud 5:28)7and I have seen among the simple, I have perceived among the youths, a young man lacking sense, (Pr 1:4; Pr 6:32)8passing along the street near her corner, taking the road to her house (Pr 7:12)9in the twilight, in the evening, at the time of night and darkness. (Job 24:15; Pr 20:20)10And behold, the woman meets him, dressed as a prostitute, wily of heart.[3] (Ge 38:14)11She is loud and wayward; her feet do not stay at home; (Pr 9:13; Ho 4:16; 1Ti 5:13; Tit 2:5)12now in the street, now in the market, and at every corner she lies in wait. (Pr 7:8; Pr 23:28)13She seizes him and kisses him, and with bold face she says to him, (Pr 21:29)14“I had to offer sacrifices,[4] and today I have paid my vows; (Le 7:11; Ps 50:14)15so now I have come out to meet you, to seek you eagerly, and I have found you.16I have spread my couch with coverings, colored linens from Egyptian linen; (Pr 31:22; Isa 19:9)17I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. (Ex 30:23; Ps 45:8)18Come, let us take our fill of love till morning; let us delight ourselves with love.19For my husband is not at home; he has gone on a long journey; (Mt 20:11)20he took a bag of money with him; at full moon he will come home.”21With much seductive speech she persuades him; with her smooth talk she compels him. (Ps 12:2; Pr 5:3; Pr 6:24)22All at once he follows her, as an ox goes to the slaughter, or as a stag is caught fast[5]23till an arrow pierces its liver; as a bird rushes into a snare; he does not know that it will cost him his life. (Ec 9:12)24And now, O sons, listen to me, and be attentive to the words of my mouth. (Pr 4:1)25Let not your heart turn aside to her ways; do not stray into her paths,26for many a victim has she laid low, and all her slain are a mighty throng. (Jud 16:1; Ne 13:26)27Her house is the way to Sheol, going down to the chambers of death. (Pr 2:18; Pr 5:5; Pr 9:18)
Proverbs 7
New International Version
Warning against the adulterous woman
1My son, keep my words and store up my commands within you.2Keep my commands and you will live; guard my teachings as the apple of your eye.3Bind them on your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart.4Say to wisdom, ‘You are my sister,’ and to insight, ‘You are my relative.’5They will keep you from the adulterous woman, from the wayward woman with her seductive words.6At the window of my house I looked down through the lattice.7I saw among the simple, I noticed among the young men, a youth who had no sense.8He was going down the street near her corner, walking along in the direction of her house9at twilight, as the day was fading, as the dark of night set in.10Then out came a woman to meet him, dressed like a prostitute and with crafty intent.11(She is unruly and defiant, her feet never stay at home;12now in the street, now in the squares, at every corner she lurks.)13She took hold of him and kissed him and with a brazen face she said:14‘Today I fulfilled my vows, and I have food from my fellowship offering at home.15So I came out to meet you; I looked for you and have found you!16I have covered my bed with coloured linens from Egypt.17I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes and cinnamon.18Come, let’s drink deeply of love till morning; let’s enjoy ourselves with love!19My husband is not at home; he has gone on a long journey.20He took his purse filled with money and will not be home till full moon.’21With persuasive words she led him astray; she seduced him with her smooth talk.22All at once he followed her like an ox going to the slaughter, like a deer[1] stepping into a noose[2]23till an arrow pierces his liver, like a bird darting into a snare, little knowing it will cost him his life.24Now then, my sons, listen to me; pay attention to what I say.25Do not let your heart turn to her ways or stray into her paths.26Many are the victims she has brought down; her slain are a mighty throng.27Her house is a highway to the grave, leading down to the chambers of death.
Proverbs 7
King James Version
1My son, keep my words, and lay up my commandments with thee.2Keep my commandments, and live; and my law as the apple of thine eye.3Bind them upon thy fingers, write them upon the table of thine heart.4Say unto wisdom, Thou art my sister; and call understanding thy kinswoman:5That they may keep thee from the strange woman, from the stranger which flattereth with her words.6For at the window of my house I looked through my casement,7And beheld among the simple ones, I discerned among the youths, a young man void of understanding,8Passing through the street near her corner; and he went the way to her house,9In the twilight, in the evening, in the black and dark night:10And, behold, there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot, and subtil of heart.11(She is loud and stubborn; her feet abide not in her house:12Now is she without, now in the streets, and lieth in wait at every corner.)13So she caught him, and kissed him, and with an impudent face said unto him,14I have peace offerings with me; this day have I payed my vows.15Therefore came I forth to meet thee, diligently to seek thy face, and I have found thee.16I have decked my bed with coverings of tapestry, with carved works , with fine linen of Egypt.17I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.18Come, let us take our fill of love until the morning: let us solace ourselves with loves.19For the goodman is not at home, he is gone a long journey:20He hath taken a bag of money with him, and will come home at the day appointed.21With her much fair speech she caused him to yield, with the flattering of her lips she forced him.22He goeth after her straightway, as an ox goeth to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks;23Till a dart strike through his liver; as a bird hasteth to the snare, and knoweth not that it is for his life.24Hearken unto me now therefore, O ye children, and attend to the words of my mouth.25Let not thine heart decline to her ways, go not astray in her paths.26For she hath cast down many wounded: yea, many strong men have been slain by her.27Her house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death.
Proverbs 7
New International Reader’s Version
A warning against a woman who commits adultery
1My son, obey my words. Store up my commands inside you.2Obey my commands and you will live. Guard my teachings as you would guard your own eyes.3Tie them on your fingers. Write them on the tablet of your heart.4Say to wisdom, ‘You are my sister.’ Say to understanding, ‘You are a member of my family.’5They will keep you from a woman who commits adultery. They will keep you from the smooth talk of a sinful wife.6I stood at the window of my house. I looked down through it.7Among those who were childish I saw a young man who had no sense.8He went down the street near that sinful woman’s corner. He walked towards her house.9The sun had gone down, and the day was fading. The darkness of night was falling.10A woman came out to meet him. She was dressed like a prostitute and had a clever plan.11She was wild and pushy. She never stayed at home.12Sometimes she’s in the streets. Sometimes she’s at other places. At every corner she waits.13She took hold of the young man and kissed him. With a bold face she spoke to him. She said,14‘Today I offered what I promised I would. At home I have meat left over from my fellowship offering.15So I came out to meet you. I looked for you and have found you!16I have covered my bed with coloured sheets from Egypt.17I’ve perfumed my bed with spices. I used myrrh, aloes and cinnamon.18Come, let’s drink our fill of love until morning. Let’s enjoy ourselves by sleeping together!19My husband isn’t home. He’s gone on a long journey.20He took his bag full of money. He won’t be home for several days.’21She led him astray with her clever words. She charmed him with her smooth talk.22All at once he followed her. He was like an ox going to be killed. He was like a deer stepping into a trap23until an arrow struck its liver. He was like a bird rushing into a trap. Little did he know it would cost him his life!24My sons, listen to me. Pay attention to what I say.25Don’t let your hearts turn to her ways. Don’t step onto her paths.26She has brought down a lot of men. She has killed a huge crowd.27Her house is a road to the grave. It leads down to the place of the dead.