7: 2 Keep my commandments and live; And my law as the apple of thine eye.
7: 3 Bind them upon thy fingers; Write them upon the tablet of thy heart.
7: 4 Say unto wisdom, Thou art my sister; And call understanding thy 67kinswoman:
67Or, familiar friend:
7: 5 That they may keep thee from the strange woman, From the foreigner that 68flattereth with her words.
68Hb. maketh her words smooth.
7: 6 For at the window of my house I looked forth through my lattice;
7: 7 And I beheld among the simple ones, I discerned among the youths, A young man void of understanding,
7: 8 Passing through the street near her corner; And he went the way to her house,
7: 9 In the twilight, in the evening of the day, In the 69middle of the night and in the darkness.
69Hb. pupil (of the eye)
7: 10 And, behold, there met him a woman With the attire of a harlot, and 70wily of heart.
70Or, close Hb. guarded
7: 11 She is 71clamorous and wilful; Her feet abide not in her house:
71Or, turbulent
7: 12 Now she is in the streets, now in the broad places, And lieth in wait at every corner.
7: 13 So she caught him, and kissed him, 72And with an impudent face she said unto him:
72Hb. She hardened her face, and said unto him:
7: 14 Sacrifices of peace-offerings 73are with me; This day have I paid my vows.
73Or, were due from me;
7: 15 Therefore came I forth to meet thee, Diligently to seek thy face, and I have found thee.
7: 16 I have spread my couch with 74carpets of tapestry, With striped cloths of the yarn of Egypt.
74Or, cushions
7: 17 I have 75perfumed my bed With myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
75Or, sprinkled
7: 18 Come, let us take our fill of love until the morning; Let us solace ourselves with loves.
7: 19 For the man is not at home; He is gone on a long journey:
7: 20 He hath taken a bag of money with him; He will come home at the full moon.
7: 21 With her much fair speech she causeth him to yield; With the flattering of her lips she forceth him along.
7: 22 He goeth after her 76straightway As an ox goeth to the slaughter, Or as one in 77fetters to the correction of the fool;
76Hb. suddenly
77RV comments, The Hebrew is obscure.
7: 23 Till an arrow strike through his liver; As a bird hasteth to the snare, And knoweth not that it is for his soul.
7: 24 Now therefore, my sons, hearken unto me, And attend to the words of my mouth.
7: 25 Let not thy heart decline to her ways; Go not astray in her paths.
7: 26 For she hath cast down many wounded: Yes, all her slain are a mighty host.
7: 27 Her house is the way to Sheol, Going down to the chambers of death.
