Proverbs 7:1–8:36

7 My son, keep my words, And atreasure my commands within you.

2 bKeep my commands and live,

cAnd my law as the apple of your eye.

3 dBind them on your fingers;

Write them on the tablet of your heart.

4 Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,”

And call understanding your nearest kin,

5 eThat they may keep you from the immoral woman,

From the seductress who flatters with her words.

The Crafty Harlot

6 For at the window of my house

I looked through my lattice,

7 And saw among the simple,

I perceived among the 1youths,

A young man fdevoid 2of understanding,

8 Passing along the street near her corner;

And he took the path to her house

9 gIn the twilight, in the evening,

In the black and dark night.

10 And there a woman met him,

With the attire of a harlot, and a crafty heart.

11 hShe was loud and rebellious,

iHer feet would not stay at home.

12 At times she was outside, at times in the open square,

Lurking at every corner.

13 So she caught him and kissed him;

With an 3impudent face she said to him:

14 “I have peace offerings with me;

Today I have paid my vows.

15 So I came out to meet you,

Diligently to seek your face,

And I have found you.

16 I have spread my bed with tapestry,

Colored coverings of jEgyptian linen.

17 I have perfumed my bed

With myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.

18 Come, let us take our fill of love until morning;

Let us delight ourselves with love.

19 For 4my husband is not at home;

He has gone on a long journey;

20 He has taken a bag of money 5with him,

And will come home 6on the appointed day.”

21 7With kher enticing speech she caused him to yield,

lWith her flattering lips she 8seduced him.

22 Immediately he went after her, as an ox goes to the slaughter,

Or 9as a fool to the correction of the 1stocks,

23 Till an arrow struck his liver.

mAs a bird hastens to the snare,

He did not know it 2would cost his life.

24 Now therefore, listen to me, my children;

Pay attention to the words of my mouth:

25 Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways,

Do not stray into her paths;

26 For she has cast down many wounded,

And nall who were slain by her were strong men.

27 oHer house is the way to 3hell,

Descending to the chambers of death.

The Excellence of Wisdom

8 Does not awisdom cry out, And understanding lift up her voice?

2 She takes her stand on the top of the 1high hill,

Beside the way, where the paths meet.

3 She cries out by the gates, at the entry of the city,

At the entrance of the doors:

4 “To you, O men, I call,

And my voice is to the sons of men.

5 O you 2simple ones, understand prudence,

And you fools, be of an understanding heart.

6 Listen, for I will speak of bexcellent things,

And from the opening of my lips will come right things;

7 For my mouth will speak truth;

Wickedness is an abomination to my lips.

8 All the words of my mouth are with righteousness;

Nothing crooked or perverse is in them.

9 They are all plain to him who understands,

And right to those who find knowledge.

10 Receive my instruction, and not silver,

And knowledge rather than choice gold;

11 cFor wisdom is better than rubies,

And all the things one may desire cannot be compared with her.

12 “I, wisdom, dwell with prudence,

And find out knowledge and discretion.

13 dThe fear of the Lord is to hate evil;

ePride and arrogance and the evil way

And fthe perverse mouth I hate.

14 Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom;

I am understanding, gI have strength.

15 hBy me kings reign,

And rulers decree justice.

16 By me princes rule, and nobles,

All the judges of 3the earth.

17 iI love those who love me,

And jthose who seek me diligently will find me.

18 kRiches and honor are with me,

Enduring riches and righteousness.

19 My fruit is better than gold, yes, than fine gold,

And my revenue than choice silver.

20 I 4traverse the way of righteousness,

In the midst of the paths of justice,

21 That I may cause those who love me to inherit wealth,

That I may fill their treasuries.

22 “The lLord possessed me at the beginning of His way,

Before His works of old.

23 mI have been established from everlasting,

From the beginning, before there was ever an earth.

24 When there were no depths I was brought forth,

When there were no fountains abounding with water.

25 nBefore the mountains were settled,

Before the hills, I was brought forth;

26 While as yet He had not made the earth or the 5fields,

Or the 6primal dust of the world.

27 When He prepared the heavens, I was there,

When He drew a circle on the face of the deep,

28 When He established the clouds above,

When He strengthened the fountains of the deep,

29 oWhen He assigned to the sea its limit,

So that the waters would not transgress His command,

When pHe marked out the foundations of the earth,

30 qThen I was beside Him as 7a master craftsman;

rAnd I was daily His delight,

Rejoicing always before Him,

31 Rejoicing in His inhabited world,

And smy delight was with the sons of men.

32 “Now therefore, listen to me, my children,

For tblessed are those who keep my ways.

33 Hear instruction and be wise,

And do not disdain it.

34 uBlessed is the man who listens to me,

Watching daily at my gates,

Waiting at the posts of my doors.

35 For whoever finds me finds life,

And vobtains favor from the Lord;

36 But he who sins against me wwrongs his own soul;

All those who hate me love death.”