Proverbs 7

NEW JERUSALEM	NEW AMERICAN BIBLE
1 My child, keep my words, and treasure my precepts,	1 My son, keep my words, and treasure my commands.
2 keep my precepts and you wil live, keep my teaching as the apple of your eye.	2 Keep my commands and live, my teaching as the apple of your eye;
3 Bind these to your fingers, write them on the tablet of your heart.	3 Bind them on your fingers, write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 Say to Wisdom, 'You are my sister!' Cal Understanding your relation,	4 Say to Wisdom, "You are my sister!" call Understanding, "Friend!"
5 to save yourself from the woman that belongs to another, from the stranger, with her seductive words.	5 That they may keep you from another's wife, from the adulteress with her smooth words.
6 While I was at the window of my house, I was looking out through the lattice	6 For at the window of my house, through my lattice I looked out--
7 and I saw, among the cal ow youths, I noticed among the lads, one boy who had no sense.	7 And I saw among the simple ones, I observed among the young men, a youth with no sense,
8 Going along the lane, near the corner where she lives, he reaches the path to her house,	8 Going along the street near the corner, then walking in the direction of her house--
9 at twilight when day is declining, at dead of night and in the dark.	9 In the twilight, at dusk of day, at the time of the dark of night.
10 And look, a woman is coming to meet him, dressed like a prostitute, false of heart.	10 And lo! the woman comes to meet him, robed like a harlot, with secret designs--
11 She is loud and brazen; her feet cannot rest at home.	11 She is fickle and unruly, in her home her feet cannot rest;
12 Once in the street, once in the square, she lurks at every corner.	12 Now she is in the streets, now in the open squares, and at every corner she lurks in ambush--
13 She catches hold of him, she kisses him, the bold-faced creature says to him,	13 When she seizes him, she kisses him, and with an impudent look says to him:
14 'I had to offer a communion sacrifice, I have discharged my vows today;	14 "I owed peace offerings, and today I have fulfilled my vows;
15 that is why I came out to meet you, to look for you, and now I have found you.	15 So I came out to meet you, to look for you, and I have found you!
16 I have spread coverlets over my divan, embroidered stuff, Egyptian material,	16 With coverlets I have spread my couch, with brocaded cloths of Egyptian linen;
17 I have sprinkled my bed with myrrh, with aloes and cinnamon.	17 I have sprinkled my bed with myrrh, with aloes, and with 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 drink our fill of love, until morning, let us feast on love!
19 For my husband is not at home, he has gone on a very long journey,	19 For my husband is not at home, he has gone on a long journey;
20 taking his moneybags with him; he wil not be back til the moon is ful .'	20 A bag of money he took with him, not till the full moon will he return home."
21 With her persistent coaxing she overcomes him, lures him on with her wheedling patter.	21 She wins him over by her repeated urging, with her smooth lips she leads him astray;
22 Forthwith he fol ows her, like an ox on its way to the slaughterhouse, like a madman on his way to thestocks,	22 He follows her stupidly, like an ox that is led to slaughter; Like a stag that minces toward the net,
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 till an arrow pierces its liver; Like a bird that rushes into a snare, unaware that its life is at stake.
24 And now, son, listen to me, pay attention to the words I have to say:	24 So now, O children, listen to me, be attentive to the words of my mouth!
25 do not let your heart stray into her ways, or wander into her paths;	25 Let not your heart turn to her ways, go not astray in her paths;
26 she has done so many to death, and the strongest have al been her victims.	26 For many are those she has struck down dead, numerous, those she has slain.
27 Her house is the way to Sheol, the descent to the courts of death.	27 Her house is made up of ways to the nether world, leading down into the chambers of death.