Proverbs 7

1. My son, keep my words and store up my commandments within you.

2. Keep my commandments and live; and keep my law as the apple of your eye.

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 your kinsman,

5. So that they may keep you from the wanton woman, from the stranger who flatters with her words.

6. For at the window of my house I looked through my lattice,

7. And I saw among the simple ones, among the youths, a young man with no understanding,

8. Passing through the street near her corner. And he went the way to her house

9. In the twilight, in the evening, in the black and dark night.

10. And, behold, there a woman met him, with the attire of a harlot and a wily heart.

11. She is loud and stubborn; her feet do not stay in her house;

12. Now she is outside, now in the streets, and lies in wait at every corner.

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

14. “I have peace offerings with me; today I have paid my vows.

15. Therefore I came out to meet you, earnestly to seek your face, and I have found you.

16. I have decked my bed with coverings of tapestry, with fine 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 delight ourselves with caresses,

19. For my husband is not at home; he has gone on a long journey.

20. He has taken a bag of silver with him and will come home on the day of the full moon.”

21. With much alluring, seductive speech she caused him to yield; with the flattering of her lips she induced him.

22. He goes after her immediately, like an ox goes to the slaughter, or like a fool to the correction of the stocks

23. Until a dart strikes through his liver; as a bird hastens to the snare and does not know that it will cost him his life.

24. Hearken unto me now therefore, O you children, and attend to the words of my mouth.

25. Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways; do not go astray in her paths,

26. For she has cast down many wounded; yea, many strong men have been slain by her.

27. Her house is the way to the grave, going down to the chambers of death.