Proverbs 7
The father describes watching from his window as a young man without sense walks into the trap of the strange woman, who flatters him with her words and leads him to her bed. He is like an ox going to the slaughter; her house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death.
| v | King James Version | Modern English |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | My son, keep my words, and lay up my commandments with thee. | My son, keep my words, and store up my commandments with you. |
| 2 | Keep my commandments, and live; and my law as the apple of thine eye. | Keep my commandments and live, and my law as the apple of your eye. |
| 3 | Bind them upon thy fingers, write them upon the table of thine heart. | Bind them on your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart. |
| 4 | Say unto wisdom, Thou art my sister; and call understanding thy kinswoman: | Say to wisdom, "You are my sister," and call understanding your kinswoman, |
| 5 | That they may keep thee from the strange woman, from the stranger which flattereth with her words. | so that they may keep you from the strange woman, from the stranger who flatters with her words. |
| 6 | For at the window of my house I looked through my casement, | For at the window of my house I looked through my lattice, |
| 7 | And beheld among the simple ones, I discerned among the youths, a young man void of understanding, | and I saw among the simple ones, I noticed among the youths, a young man without understanding, |
| 8 | Passing through the street near her corner; and he went the way to her house, | passing through the street near her corner; and he took the path to her house |
| 9 | In the twilight, in the evening, in the black and dark night: | in the twilight, in the evening, in the black and dark night. |
| 10 | And, behold, there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot, and subtil of heart. | And there a woman met him, with the attire of a harlot and crafty of heart. |
| 11 | (She is loud and stubborn; her feet abide not in her house: | She is loud and stubborn; her feet do not stay at home. |
| 12 | Now is she without, now in the streets, and lieth in wait at every corner.) | Now she is outside, now in the streets, and lies in wait at every corner. |
| 13 | So she caught him, and kissed him, and with an impudent face said unto him, | So she caught him and kissed him, and with a bold face said to him, |
| 14 | I have peace offerings with me; this day have I payed my vows. | "I have peace offerings with me; today I have paid my vows. |
| 15 | Therefore came I forth to meet thee, diligently to seek thy face, and I have found thee. | Therefore I came out to meet you, diligently to seek your face, and I have found you. |
| 16 | I have decked my bed with coverings of tapestry, with carved works, with fine linen of Egypt. | I have decked my bed with coverings of tapestry, with carved works, with fine linen of Egypt. |
| 17 | I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. | 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. | Come, let us take our fill of love until morning; let us delight ourselves with love. |
| 19 | For the goodman is not at home, he is gone a long journey: | For the man is not at home; he has gone on a long journey. |
| 20 | He hath taken a bag of money with him, and will come home at the day appointed. | He has taken a bag of money with him, and will come home on the appointed day." |
| 21 | With her much fair speech she caused him to yield, with the flattering of her lips she forced him. | With her smooth speech she caused him to yield; with the flattering of her lips she forced him. |
| 22 | He goeth after her straightway, as an ox goeth to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks; | He goes after her at once, like an ox going to the slaughter, or like a fool to the correction of the stocks, |
| 23 | Till a dart strike through his liver; as a bird hasteth to the snare, and knoweth not that it is for his life. | until an arrow strikes through his liver; like a bird hurrying to the snare, not knowing it would cost his life. |
| 24 | Hearken unto me now therefore, O ye children, and attend to the words of my mouth. | Therefore listen to me now, my children, and pay attention to the words of my mouth. |
| 25 | Let not thine heart decline to her ways, go not astray in her paths. | Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways; do not stray into her paths. |
| 26 | For she hath cast down many wounded: yea, many strong men have been slain by her. | For she has cast down many wounded; indeed, many strong men have been slain by her. |
| 27 | Her house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death. | Her house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death. |