Proverbs 7 NIV

Warning Against the Adulteress

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

² Keep my commands and you will live;
guard my teachings as the apple of your eye.

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

⁴ Say to wisdom, "You are my sister,"
and call understanding your kinsman;

⁵ they will keep you from the adulteress,
from the wayward wife with her seductive words.

⁶ At the window of my house
I looked out through the lattice.

    ⁷ I saw among the simple,
       I noticed among the young men,
       a youth who lacked judgment.

⁸ He was going down the street near her corner,
walking along in the direction of her house

⁹ at twilight, as the day was fading,
as the dark of night set in.

¹⁰ Then out came a woman to meet him,
dressed like a prostitute and with crafty intent.

¹¹ (She is loud and defiant,
her feet never stay at home;

¹² now in the street, now in the squares,
at every corner she lurks.)

¹³ She took hold of him and kissed him
and with a brazen face she said:

¹⁴ "I have fellowship offerings ^[a] at home;
today I fulfilled my vows.

¹⁵ So I came out to meet you;
I looked for you and have found you!

¹⁶ I have covered my bed
with colored linens from Egypt.

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

¹⁸ Come, let's drink deep of love till morning;
let's enjoy ourselves with love!

¹⁹ My husband is not at home;
he has gone on a long journey.

²⁰ He took his purse filled with money
and will not be home till full moon."

²¹ With persuasive words she led him astray;
she seduced him with her smooth talk.

    ²² All at once he followed her
       like an ox going to the slaughter,
       like a deer ^[b] stepping into a noose ^[c]

    ²³ till an arrow pierces his liver,
       like a bird darting into a snare,
       little knowing it will cost him his life.

²⁴ Now then, my sons, listen to me;
pay attention to what I say.

²⁵ Do not let your heart turn to her ways
or stray into her paths.

²⁶ Many are the victims she has brought down;
her slain are a mighty throng.

²⁷ Her house is a highway to the grave, ^[d]
leading down to the chambers of death.

Footnotes:

Link to Proverbs 7 NIV:
http://www.Biblica.com/bible/verse/?q=Proverbs7&niv=yes