Proverbs 7

NEW JERUSALEM	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 My child, keep my words, and treasure my precepts,	1 My son, guard my words and conceal my precepts within you.
2 keep my precepts and you wil live, keep my teaching as the apple of your eye.	2 Son, preserve my commandments, and you shall live. And keep my law as the pupil of your eye.
3 Bind these to your fingers, write them on the tablet of your heart.	3 Bind it with your fingers; write it on the tablets of your heart.
4 Say to Wisdom, 'You are my sister!' Cal Understanding your relation,	4 Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,” and call prudence your friend.
5 to save yourself from the woman that belongs to another, from the stranger, with her seductive words.	5 So may she guard you from the woman who is an outsider, and from the stranger who sweetens her words.
6 While I was at the window of my house, I was looking out through the lattice	6 For I gaze from the window of my house, through the lattice,
7 and I saw, among the cal ow youths, I noticed among the lads, one boy who had no sense.	7 and I see little ones. I consider a frenzied youth,
8 Going along the lane, near the corner where she lives, he reaches the path to her house,	8 who crosses the street at the corner and close to the way of that house.
9 at twilight when day is declining, at dead of night and in the dark.	9 He steps into shadows, as day becomes evening, into the darkness and gloom of the night.
10 And look, a woman is coming to meet him, dressed like a prostitute, false of heart.	10 And behold, a woman meets him, dressed like a harlot, prepared to captivate souls: chattering and rambling,
11 She is loud and brazen; her feet cannot rest at home.	11 unwilling to bear silence, unable to keep her feet at home,
12 Once in the street, once in the square, she lurks at every corner.	12 now outside, now in the streets, now lying in ambush near the corners.
13 She catches hold of him, she kisses him, the bold-faced creature says to him,	13 And overtaking the youth, she kisses him, and with a provocative face, she flatters him, saying:
14 'I had to offer a communion sacrifice, I have discharged my vows today;	14 “I vowed sacrifices for well-being. Today I have repaid my vows.
15 that is why I came out to meet you, to look for you, and now I have found you.	15 Because of this, I have gone out to meet you, desiring to see you, and I have found you.
16 I have spread coverlets over my divan, embroidered stuff, Egyptian material,	16 I have woven my bed with cords. I have strewn it with embroidered tapestries from Egypt.
17 I have sprinkled my bed with myrrh, with aloes and cinnamon.	17 I have sprinkled my bed with myrrh, aloe, and cinnamon.
18 Come on, we'l make love as much as we like, till morning. Let us enjoy the delights of love!	18 Come, let us be inebriated in abundance, and let us delight in the embraces of desire, until the day begins to dawn.
19 For my husband is not at home, he has gone on a very long journey,	19 For my husband is not in his house. He has gone away on a very long journey.
20 taking his moneybags with him; he wil not be back til the moon is ful .'	20 He took with him a bag of money. He will return to his house on the day of the full moon.”
21 With her persistent coaxing she overcomes him, lures him on with her wheedling patter.	21 She enmeshed him with many words, and she drew him forward with the flattery of her lips.
22 Forthwith he fol ows her, like an ox on its way to the slaughterhouse, like a madman on his way to thestocks,	22 Immediately, he follows her, like an ox being led to the sacrifice, and like a lamb acting lasciviously, and not knowing that he is being drawn foolishly into chains,
23 until an arrow pierces him to the liver, like the bird that dashes into the net without realising that its lifeis at stake.	23 until the arrow pierces his liver. It is just as if a bird were to hurry into the snare. And he does not know that his actions endanger his own soul.
24 And now, son, listen to me, pay attention to the words I have to say:	24 Therefore, my son, hear me now, and attend to the words of my mouth.
25 do not let your heart stray into her ways, or wander into her paths;	25 Do not let your mind be pulled into her ways. And do not be deceived by her paths.
26 she has done so many to death, and the strongest have al been her victims.	26 For she has tossed aside many wounded, and some of those who were very strong have been slain by her.
27 Her house is the way to Sheol, the descent to the courts of death.	27 Her household is the way to Hell, reaching even to the inner places of death.