7 1 An exhortation to wisdom and to the word of God. 5 Which will preserve us from the harlot, 6 Whose manners are described.
1 My son keep my words, and hide my commandments with thee.
2 Keep my commandments, and thou shalt live, and mine instruction, as the [a]apple of thine eyes.
3 Bind them upon thy fingers, and write them upon the table of thine heart.
4 Say unto wisdom, Thou art my sister, and call understanding thy kinswoman,
5 That they may keep thee from the strange woman, even from the strange that is smooth in her words.
6 ¶ [b]As I was in the window of mine house, I looked through my window,
7 And I saw among the fools, and considered among the children a young man destitute of understanding,
8 Who passed through the street by her corner, and went toward her house,
9 In the twilight in the evening, when the night began to be [c]black and dark.
10 And behold, there met him a woman with an harlot’s [d]behavior, and [e]subtle in heart.
11 (She [f]is babbling and loud, whose feet cannot abide in her house.
12 Now she is without, now in the streets, and lieth in wait at every corner)
13 So she caught him and kissed him, and [g]with an impudent face said unto him,
14 I have [h]peace offerings: this [i]day have I paid my vows.
15 Therefore came I forth to meet thee, that I might seek thy face: and I have found thee.
16 I have decked my bed with ornaments, [j]carpets and laces of Egypt.
17 I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
18 Come, let us take our fill of love until the morning: let us take our pleasure in dalliance.
19 For mine husband is not at home: he is gone a journey far off.
20 He hath taken [k]with him a bag of silver, and will come home at the day appointed.
21 Thus with her great craft she caused him to yield, and with her flattering lips she enticed him.
22 And he followed her straightway, as an [l]ox that goeth to the slaughter, and [m]as a fool to the stocks for correction,
23 Till a dart strike through his liver, as a bird hasteth to the snare, not knowing that [n]he is in danger.
24 ¶ Hear me now therefore, O children, and hearken to the words of my mouth.
25 Let not thine heart decline to her ways: wander thou not in her paths.
26 For she hath caused many to fall down wounded, and the [o]strong men are all slain by her.
27 Her house is the way (A)unto the grave, which goeth down to the chambers of death.
Footnotes
- Proverbs 7:2 By this diversity of words, he meaneth that nothing ought to be so dear unto us as the word of God, nor that we look on anything more nor mind anything so much.
- Proverbs 7:6 Solomon useth this parable to declare their folly, that suffer themselves to be abused by harlots.
- Proverbs 7:9 He showeth that there was almost none so impudent, but they were afraid to be seen, and also their own consciences did accuse them which caused them to seek the night to cover their filthiness.
- Proverbs 7:10 Or, garment.
- Proverbs 7:10 Or, hid.
- Proverbs 7:11 He describeth certain conditions, which are peculiar to harlots.
- Proverbs 7:13 Hebrew, she strengthened her face.
- Proverbs 7:14 Because that in peace offerings a portion returned to them that offered, she showeth him that she hath meat at home to make good cheer with: or else she would use some cloak of holiness till she had gotten him in her snares.
- Proverbs 7:14 Which declareth that harlots outwardly will seem holy and religious: both because they may the better deceive others, and also thinking by observing of ceremonies and offerings to make satisfaction for their sins.
- Proverbs 7:16 Or, carved work.
- Proverbs 7:20 Hebrew, in his hand.
- Proverbs 7:22 Which thinking he goeth to the pasture, goeth willingly to his own destruction.
- Proverbs 7:22 Which goeth cheerfully, not knowing that he shall be chastised.
- Proverbs 7:23 Hebrew, It is for his life.
- Proverbs 7:26 Neither wit nor strength can deliver them that fall into the hands of the harlot.