The Proverbs

⭑ King James Version :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

⮜ Back | Contents | Next ⮞

- Chapter 7 -

prevention against fornication

My son, keep my words, and lay up my commandments with thee.

Keep my commandments, and live; and my law as the apple of thine eye.

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

Say unto wisdom, Thou art my sister; and call understanding thy kinswoman:

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

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

And beheld among the simple ones, I discerned among the youths, a young man void of understanding,(a)

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

In the twilight, in the evening, in the black and dark night:(b)

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

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

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

So she caught him, and kissed him, and with an impudent face said unto him,(c)

I have peace offerings with me; this day have I payed my vows.(d)

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

I have decked my bed with coverings of tapestry, with carved works, with fine linen of Egypt.

I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.

Come, let us take our fill of love until the morning: let us solace ourselves with loves.

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

He hath taken a bag of money with him, and will come home at the day appointed.(e)

(f)

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

He goeth after her straightway, as an ox goeth to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks;(g)

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

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

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

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

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

Footnotes

(a)7:7 the youths: Heb. the sons

(b)7:9 in the evening: Heb. in the evening of days

(d)7:14 I have…: Heb. Peace offerings are upon me

(e)7:20 with…: Heb. in his hand

(f)7:20 the day…: or, the new moon

(g)7:22 straightway: Heb. suddenly

prevention against fornication

My son, keep my words. Lay up my commandments within you.

Keep my commandments and live! Guard my teaching as the apple of your eye.

Bind them on your fingers. Write them on the tablet of your heart.

Tell wisdom, “You are my sister.” Call understanding your relative,

that they may keep you from the strange woman, from the foreigner who flatters with her words.

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

I saw among the simple ones. I discerned among the youths a young man void of understanding,

passing through the street near her corner, he went the way to her house,

in the twilight, in the evening of the day, in the middle of the night and in the darkness.

Behold, there a woman met him with the attire of a prostitute, and with crafty intent.

She is loud and defiant. Her feet don’t stay in her house.

Now she is in the streets, now in the squares, and lurking at every corner.

So she caught him, and kissed him. With an impudent face she said to him:

“Sacrifices of peace offerings are with me. Today I have paid my vows.

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

I have spread my couch with carpets of tapestry, with striped cloths of the yarn of Egypt.

I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.

Come, let’s take our fill of loving until the morning. Let’s solace ourselves with loving.

For my husband isn’t at home. He has gone on a long journey.

He has taken a bag of money with him. He will come home at the full moon.”

With persuasive words, she led him astray. With the flattering of her lips, she seduced him.

He followed her immediately, as an ox goes to the slaughter, as a fool stepping into a noose.

Until an arrow strikes through his liver, as a bird hurries to the snare, and doesn’t know that it will cost his life.

Now therefore, sons, listen to me. Pay attention to the words of my mouth.

Don’t let your heart turn to her ways. Don’t go astray in her paths,

for she has thrown down many wounded. Yes, all her slain are a mighty army.

Her house is the way to Sheol,(a) going down to the rooms of death.

Footnotes

(a)7:27 Sheol is the place of the dead.