| 7:1 |
My son, keep my sayings, and let my rules be stored up with you. |
| 7:2 |
Keep my rules and you will have life; let my teaching be to you as the light of your eyes; |
| 7:3 |
Let them be fixed to your fingers, and recorded in your heart. |
| 7:4 |
Say to wisdom, You are my sister; let knowledge be named your special friend: |
| 7:5 |
So that they may keep you from the strange woman, even from her whose words are smooth. |
| 7:6 |
Looking out from my house, and watching through the window, |
| 7:7 |
I saw among the young men one without sense, |
| 7:8 |
Walking in the street near the turn of her road, going on the way to her house, |
| 7:9 |
At nightfall, in the evening of the day, in the black dark of the night. |
| 7:10 |
And the woman came out to him, in the dress of a loose woman, with a designing heart; |
| 7:11 |
She is full of noise and uncontrolled; her feet keep not in her house. |
| 7:12 |
Now she is in the street, now in the open spaces, waiting at every turning of the road. |
| 7:13 |
So she took him by his hand, kissing him, and without a sign of shame she said to him: |
| 7:14 |
I have a feast of peace-offerings, for today my oaths have been effected. |
| 7:15 |
So I came out in the hope of meeting you, looking for you with care, and now I have you. |
| 7:16 |
My bed is covered with cushions of needlework, with coloured cloths of the cotton thread of Egypt; |
| 7:17 |
I have made my bed sweet with perfumes and spices. |
| 7:18 |
Come, let us take our pleasure in love till the morning, having joy in love's delights. |
| 7:19 |
For the master of the house is away on a long journey: |
| 7:20 |
He has taken a bag of money with him; he is coming back at the full moon. |
| 7:21 |
With her fair words she overcame him, forcing him with her smooth lips. |
| 7:22 |
The simple man goes after her, like an ox going to its death, like a roe pulled by a cord; |
| 7:23 |
Like a bird falling into a net; with no thought that his life is in danger, till an arrow goes into his side. |
| 7:24 |
So now, my sons, give ear to me; give attention to the sayings of my mouth; |
| 7:25 |
Let not your heart be turned to her ways, do not go wandering in her footsteps. |
| 7:26 |
For those wounded and made low by her are great in number; and all those who have come to their death through her are a great army. |
| 7:27 |
Her house is the way to the underworld, going down to the rooms of death. |
