Proverbs 7
JPS Tanakh (Jewish Publication Society, 1917)
World English Bible
1My son, keep my words, and lay up my commandments with thee.
1My son, keep my words. Lay up my commandments within you.
2Keep my commandments and live, and my teaching as the apple of thine eye.
2Keep my commandments and live! Guard my teaching as the apple of your eye.
3Bind them upon thy fingers, write them upon the table of thy heart.
3Bind them on your fingers. Write them on the tablet of your heart.
4Say unto wisdom: 'Thou art my sister', and call understanding thy kinswoman;
4Tell wisdom, “You are my sister.” Call understanding your relative,
5That they may keep thee from the strange woman, from the alien woman that maketh smooth her words.
5that they may keep you from the strange woman, from the foreigner who flatters with her words.
6For at the window of my house I looked forth through my lattice;
6For at the window of my house, I looked out through my lattice.
7And I beheld among the thoughtless ones, I discerned among the youths, a young man void of understanding,
7I saw 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;
8passing through the street near her corner, he went the way to her house,
9In the twilight, in the evening of the day, in the blackness of night and the darkness.
9in the twilight, in the evening of the day, in the middle of the night and in the darkness.
10And, behold, there met him a woman with the attire of a harlot, and wily of heart.
10Behold, there a woman met him with the attire of a prostitute, and with crafty intent.
11She is riotous and rebellious, her feet abide not in her house;
11She is loud and defiant. Her feet don’t stay in her house.
12Now she is in the streets, now in the broad places, and lieth in wait at every corner.
12Now she is in the streets, now in the squares, and lurking at every corner.
13So she caught him, and kissed him, and with an impudent face she said unto him:
13So she caught him, and kissed him. With an impudent face she said to him:
14'Sacrifices of peace-offerings were due from me; this day have I paid my vows.
14“Sacrifices of peace offerings are with me. Today I have paid my vows.
15Therefore came I forth to meet thee, to seek thy face, and I have found thee.
15Therefore I came out to meet you, to diligently seek your face, and I have found you.
16I have decked my couch with coverlets, with striped cloths of the yarn of Egypt.
16I have spread my couch with carpets of tapestry, with striped cloths of the yarn of Egypt.
17I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
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.
18Come, let’s take our fill of loving until the morning. Let’s solace ourselves with loving.
19For my husband is not at home, he is gone a long journey;
19For my husband isn’t at home. He has gone on a long journey.
20He hath taken the bag of money with him; he will come home at the full moon.'
20He has taken a bag of money with him. He will come home at the full moon.”
21With her much fair speech she causeth him to yield, with the blandishment of her lips she enticeth him away.
21With persuasive words, she led him astray. With the flattering of her lips, she seduced him.
22He goeth after her straightway, as an ox that goeth to the slaughter, or as one in fetters to the correction of the fool;
22He followed her immediately, as an ox goes to the slaughter, as a fool stepping into a noose.
23Till an arrow strike through his liver; as a bird hasteneth to the snare — and knoweth not that it is at the cost of his life.
23Until an arrow strikes through his liver, as a bird hurries to the snare, and doesn’t know that it will cost his life.
24Now therefore, O ye children, hearken unto me, and attend to the words of my mouth.
24Now therefore, sons, listen to me. Pay attention to the words of my mouth.
25Let not thy heart decline to her ways, go not astray in her paths.
25Don’t let your heart turn to her ways. Don’t go astray in her paths,
26For she hath cast down many wounded; yea, a mighty host are all her slain.
26for she has thrown down many wounded. Yes, all her slain are a mighty army.
27Her house is the way to the nether-world, going down to the chambers of death.
27Her house is the way to Sheol, going down to the rooms of death.
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