Proverbs 7

1My son, keep my words and store up my commands within you.

2Keep my commands and live; guard my teaching like the pupil of your eye.

3Tie them on your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart.

4Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,” and call understanding your close relative,

5so that they may keep you from the forbidden woman, from the foreign woman with her smooth words.

6For at the window of my house I looked out through my lattice,

7and I saw among the simple, I noticed among the young men, a young man who lacked sense,

8passing along the street near her corner, walking down the road to her house,

9in the twilight, in the evening of the day, in the black of night and the darkness.

10Suddenly a woman came out to meet him, dressed like a prostitute, with a cunning heart.

11She is loud and defiant; her feet do not stay at home;

12now in the street, now in the squares, she lies in wait at every corner.

13She grabbed him and kissed him, and with a brazen face she said to him,

14“I had fellowship offerings to make; today I have paid my vows.

15So I came out to meet you, to look for you, and I have found you.

16I have spread my couch with coverings, with colored linens from Egypt.

17I have sprinkled my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.

18Come, let us drink our fill of love until morning; let us delight ourselves with lovemaking.

19For the man of the house is not at home; he has gone on a long journey.

20He took a bag of money with him; he will come home at the full moon.”

21With her many persuasions she turned him; with her smooth lips she pushed him along.

22All at once he follows her, like an ox going to the slaughter, like a fool in shackles going to be punished,

23until an arrow pierces his liver—like a bird darting into a snare, not knowing it will cost him his life.

24So now, my sons, listen to me; pay attention to the words of my mouth.

25Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways; do not wander into her paths.

26For many are the victims she has brought down; all whom she has killed are a mighty throng.

27Her house is the way to Sheol, going down to the chambers of death.