Proverbs 7

1

My sonne, keepe my words, and lay vp my commaundements with thee.

2

Keepe my commandements, and liue: and my law as the apple of thine eye.

3

Bind them vpon thy fingers, write them vpon the table of thine heart.

4

Say vnto Wisedome, Thou art my sister, and call Understanding thy kinse woman,

5

That they may keepe thee from the strange woman, from the stranger which flattereth with her words.

6

¶ For at the windowe of my house I looked through my casement,

7

And behelde among the simple ones, I discerned among the youths, a yong man void of vnderstanding,

8

Passing through the streete neere her corner, and he went the way to her house,

9

In the twilight in the euening, in the blacke and darke night:

10

And behold, there met him a woman, with the attire of an harlot, and subtill of heart.

11

(She is loud and stubburne, her feet abide not in her house:

12

Now is shee without, now in the streetes, and lieth in waite at euery corner.)

13

So she caught him, and kissed him, and with an impudent face, said vnto him,

14

I haue peace offerings with me: this day haue I paid my vowes.

15

Therefore came I forth to meete thee, diligently to seeke thy face, and I haue found thee.

16

I haue deckt my bed with couerings of tapestrie, with carued workes, with fine linnen of Egypt.

17

I haue perfumed my bed with myrrhe, aloes, and cynamom.

18

Come, let vs take our fill of loue vntill the morning, let vs solace our selues with loues.

19

For the good-man is not at home, he is gone a long iourney.

20

He hath taken a bag of money with him, and will come home at the day appointed.

21

With much faire speech she caused him to yeeld, with the flattering of her lips she forced him.

22

He goeth after her straightway, as an oxe goeth to the slaughter, or as a foole to the correction of the stocks,

23

Til a dart strike through his liuer, as a bird hasteth to the snare, and knoweth not that it is for his life.

24

¶ Hearken vnto me now therefore, O ye children, and attend to the words of my mouth.

25

Let not thine heart decline to her wayes, goe not astray in her paths.

26

For shee hath cast downe many wounded: yea many strong men haue bene slaine by her.

27

Her house is the way to hell, going downe to the chambers of death.