Chapter
7
My daughter, keep my words. Lay up my commandments within you.
Keep my commandments and live! Guard my teaching as the apple of your eye.
Bind them on your fingers. Write them on the tablet of your heart.
Tell wisdom, "You are my brother." Call understanding your relative,
that they may keep you from the strange man, from the foreigner who flatters with his words.
For at the window of my house, I looked out through my lattice.
I saw among the simple ones. I discerned among the youths a young woman void of understanding,
passing through the street near his corner, she went the way to his house,
in the twilight, in the evening of the day, in the middle of the night and in the darkness.
Behold, there a man met her with the attire of a philanderer, and with crafty intent.
He is loud and defiant. His feet don't stay in his house.
Now he is in the streets, now in the squares, and lurking at every corner.
So he caught her, and kissed her. With an impudent face he said to her:
"Sacrifices of peace offerings are with me. This day I have paid my vows.
Therefore I came out to meet you, to diligently seek your face, and I have found you.
I have spread my couch with carpets of tapestry, with striped cloths of the yarn of Egypt.
I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
Come, let's take our fill of loving until the morning. Let's solace ourselves with loving.
For my wife isn't at home. She has gone on a long journey.
She has taken a bag of money with her. She will come home at the full moon."
With persuasive words, he led her astray. With the flattering of his lips, he seduced her.
She followed him immediately, as an ox goes to the slaughter, as a fool stepping into a noose.
Until an arrow strikes through her liver, as a bird hurries to the snare, and doesn't know that it will cost her life.
Now therefore, daughters, listen to me. Pay attention to the words of my mouth.
Don't let your heart turn to his ways. Don't go astray in his paths,
for he has thrown down many wounded. Yes, all his slain are a mighty army.
His house is the way to Sheol, going down to the chambers of death.