Warnings about the Adulteress
1My son, keep my words, and lay up my commandments with thee.
2Keep my commandments, and live; and my law as the apple of thine eye.
3Bind them upon thy fingers, write them upon the table of thine heart.
4Say unto wisdom, Thou art my sister; and call understanding thy kinswoman:
5That they may keep thee from the strange woman, from the stranger which flattereth with her words.
6For at the window of my house I looked through my casement,
7And beheld among the simple ones, I discerned among the youths, a young man void of understanding,
8Passing through the street near her corner; and he went the way to her house,
9In the twilight, in the evening, in the black and dark night:
10And, behold, there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot, and subtil of heart.
11(She is loud and stubborn; her feet abide not in her house:
12Now is she without, now in the streets, and lieth in wait at every corner.)
13So she caught him, and kissed him, and with an impudent face said unto him,
14I have peace offerings with me; this day have I payed my vows.
15Therefore came I forth to meet thee, diligently to seek thy face, and I have found thee.
16I have decked my bed with coverings of tapestry, with carved works, with fine linen of Egypt.
17I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
18Come, let us take our fill of love until the morning: let us solace ourselves with loves.
19For the goodman is not at home, he is gone a long journey:
20He hath taken a bag of money with him, and will come home at the day appointed.
21With her much fair speech she caused him to yield, with the flattering of her lips she forced him.
22He goeth after her straightway, as an ox goeth to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks;
23Till a dart strike through his liver; as a bird hasteth to the snare, and knoweth not that it is for his life.
24Hearken unto me now therefore, O ye children, and attend to the words of my mouth.
25Let not thine heart decline to her ways, go not astray in her paths.
26For she hath cast down many wounded: yea, many strong men have been slain by her.
27Her house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death.
King James Bible
Text courtesy of BibleProtector.com.
Warnings about the Adulteress
1 My son, keep my words. Lay up my commandments within you.
2 Keep my commandments and live! Guard my teaching as the apple of your eye.
3 Bind them on your fingers. Write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 Tell wisdom, “You are my sister.” Call understanding your relative,
5 that they may keep you from the strange woman, from the foreigner who flatters with her words.
6 For at the window of my house, I looked out through my lattice.
7 I saw among the simple ones. I discerned among the youths a young man void of understanding,
8 passing through the street near her corner, he went the way to her house,
9 in the twilight, in the evening of the day, in the middle of the night and in the darkness.
10 Behold, there a woman met him with the attire of a prostitute, and with crafty intent.
11 She is loud and defiant. Her feet don’t stay in her house.
12 Now she is in the streets, now in the squares, and lurking at every corner.
13 So she caught him, and kissed him. With an impudent face she said to him:
14 “Sacrifices of peace offerings are with me. This day I have paid my vows.
15 Therefore I came out to meet you, to diligently seek your face, and I have found you.
16 I have spread my couch with carpets of tapestry, with striped cloths of the yarn of Egypt.
17 I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
18 Come, let’s take our fill of loving until the morning. Let’s solace ourselves with loving.
19 For my husband isn’t at home. He has gone on a long journey.
20 He has taken a bag of money with him. He will come home at the full moon.”
21 With persuasive words, she led him astray. With the flattering of her lips, she seduced him.
22 He followed her immediately, as an ox goes to the slaughter, as a fool stepping into a noose.
23 Until an arrow strikes through his liver, as a bird hurries to the snare, and doesn’t know that it will cost his life.
24 Now therefore, sons, listen to me. Pay attention to the words of my mouth.
25 Don’t let your heart turn to her ways. Don’t go astray in her paths,
26 for she has thrown down many wounded. Yes, all her slain are a mighty army.
27 Her house is the way to Sheol, going down to the rooms of death.
Warnings about the Adulteress
1 My son, keep my words
and treasure my commandments within you.
2 Keep my commandments and live;
guard my teachings as the apple a of your eye.
3 Tie them to your fingers;
write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,”
and call understanding your kinsman,
5 that they may keep you from the adulteress,
from the stranger with seductive words.
6 For at the window of my house
I looked through the lattice.
7 I saw among the simple,
I noticed among the youths,
a young man lacking judgment,
8 crossing the street near her corner,
strolling down the road to her house,
9 at twilight, as the day was fading
into the dark of the night.
10 Then a woman came out to meet him,
with the attire of a harlot and cunning of heart.
11 She is loud and defiant;
her feet do not remain at home.
12 Now in the street, now in the squares,
she lurks at every corner.
13 She seizes him and kisses him;
she brazenly says to him:
14 “I have made my peace offerings;
today I have paid my vows.
15 So I came out to meet you;
I sought you, and I have found you.
16 I have decked my bed with coverings,
with colored linen from Egypt.
17 I have perfumed my bed with myrrh,
with aloes, and with cinnamon.
18 Come, let us take our fill of love till morning.
Let us delight in loving caresses!
19 For my husband is not at home;
he has gone on a long journey.
20 He took with him a bag of money
and will not return till the moon is full.”
21 With her great persuasion she entices him;
with her flattering lips she lures him.
22 He follows her on impulse,
like an ox going to the slaughter,
like a deer bounding into a trap, b
23 until an arrow pierces his liver,
like a bird darting into a snare—
not knowing it will cost him his life.
24 Now, my sons, listen to me,
and attend to the words of my mouth.
25 Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways;
do not stray into her paths.
26 For she has brought many down to death;
her slain are many in number.
27 Her house is the road to Sheol,
descending to the chambers of death.
Footnotes:
2 a Literally the pupil
22 b Probable reading (see LXX, Vulgate, Syriac); Hebrew like fetters to discipline a fool
Warnings about the Adulteress
1My son! keep my sayings, And my commands lay up with thee.
2Keep my commands, and live, And my law as the pupil of thine eye.
3Bind them on thy fingers, Write them on the tablet of thy heart.
4Say to wisdom, 'My sister Thou art.' And cry to understanding, 'Kinswoman!'
5To preserve thee from a strange woman, From a stranger who hath made smooth her sayings.
6For, at a window of my house, Through my casement I have looked out,
7And I do see among the simple ones, I discern among the sons, A young man lacking understanding,
8Passing on in the street, near her corner, And the way to her house he doth step,
9In the twilight -- in the evening of day, In the darkness of night and blackness.
10And, lo, a woman to meet him -- (A harlot's dress, and watchful of heart,
11Noisy she is, and stubborn, In her house her feet rest not.
12Now in an out-place, now in broad places, And near every corner she lieth in wait) --
13And she laid hold on him, and kissed him, She hath hardened her face, and saith to him,
14Sacrifices of peace-offerings are by me, To-day I have completed my vows.
15Therefore I have come forth to meet thee, To seek earnestly thy face, and I find thee.
16With ornamental coverings I decked my couch, Carved works -- cotton of Egypt.
17I sprinkled my bed -- myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
18Come, we are filled with loves till the morning, We delight ourselves in loves.
19For the man is not in his house, He hath gone on a long journey.
20A bag of money he hath taken in his hand, At the day of the new moon he cometh to his house.'
21She turneth him aside with the abundance of her speech, With the flattery of her lips she forceth him.
22He is going after her straightway, As an ox unto the slaughter he cometh, And as a fetter unto the chastisement of a fool,
23Till an arrow doth split his liver, As a bird hath hastened unto a snare, And hath not known that it is for its life.
24And now, ye sons, hearken to me, And give attention to sayings of my mouth.
25Let not thy heart turn unto her ways, Do not wander in her paths,
26For many are the wounded she caused to fall, And mighty are all her slain ones.
27The ways of Sheol -- her house, Going down unto inner chambers of death!
