Proverbs 7

A Warning Against a Woman Who Commits Adultery

7My son, obey my words.

Store up my commands inside you.

²Obey my commands and you will live.

Guard my teachings as you would your own eyes.

³Tie them on your fingers.

Write them on the tablet of your heart.

⁴Say to wisdom, “You are my sister.”

Call understanding a member of your 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 out 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 toward her house.

⁹The sun had gone down. 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 a loud and pushy woman.

She never stayed at home.

¹²Sometimes in the streets, sometimes at other places,

at every corner she would wait.

¹³She took hold of the young man and kissed him.

With a bold face she spoke to him.

¹⁴She said, “At home I have meat left over from my offerings.

Today I offered what I had promised I would.

¹⁵So I came out to meet you.

I looked for you. And I have found you!

¹⁶I have covered my bed

with colored 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 having sex!

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 down the wrong path 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 trap

²³until 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.