Proverbs 7:1-14 in English

¹ My son, keep my words, And lay up my commandments with thee.

² Keep my commandments and live; And my law as the apple of thine eye.

³ Bind them upon thy fingers; Write them upon the tablet of thy heart.

⁴ Say unto wisdom, Thou art my sister; And call understanding thy kinswoman:

⁵ That they may keep thee from the strange woman, From the foreigner that flattereth with her words.

⁶ For at the window of my house I looked forth through my lattice;

⁷ And I beheld among the simple ones, I discerned among the youths, A young man void of understanding,

⁸ Passing through the street near her corner; And 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 And, behold, there met him a woman With the attire of a harlot, and wily of heart.

¹¹ (She is clamorous and wilful; Her feet abide not in her house:

¹² Now she is in the streets, now in the broad places, And lieth in wait at every corner.)

¹³ So she caught him, and kissed him, And with an impudent face she said unto him:

¹⁴ Sacrifices of peace-offerings are with me; This day have I paid my vows.

¹ My son, keep my words, and hide with thee my commandments.

^1a My son, honour the Lord, and thou shalt be strong; and fear none but him:

² keep my commandments, and thou shalt live; and keep my words as the pupils of thine eyes.

³ And bind them on thy fingers, and write them on the table of thine heart.

⁴ Say that wisdom is thy sister, and gain prudence as an acquaintance for thyself;

⁵ that she may keep thee from the strange and wicked woman, if she should assail thee with flattering words.

⁶ For she looks from a window out of her house into the streets, at one whom she may see of the senseless ones, a young man void of understanding,

⁷ passing by the corner in the passages near her house,

⁸ and speaking, in the dark of the evening,

⁹ when there happens to be the stillness of night and of darkness:

¹⁰ and the woman meets him having the appearance of a harlot, that causes the hearts of young men to flutter.

¹¹ And she is fickle, and debauched, and her feet abide not at home.

¹² For at one time she wanders without, and at another time she lies in wait in the streets, at every corner.

¹³ Then she caught him, and kissed him, and with an impudent face said to him,

¹⁴ I have a peace-offering; to-day I pay my vows:

¹ My son, keep my words, and lay up my commandments with thee.

² Keep my commandments, and live; and my law as the apple of thine eye.

³ Bind them upon thy fingers, write them upon the table of thine heart.

⁴ Say unto wisdom, Thou art my sister; and call understanding thy kinswoman:

⁵ That they may keep thee from the strange woman, from the stranger which flattereth with her words.

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

⁷ And beheld among the simple ones, I discerned among the youths, a young man void of understanding,

⁸ Passing through the street near her corner; and he went the way to her house,

⁹ In the twilight, in the evening, in the black and dark night:

¹⁰ And, 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:

¹² Now is she without, now in the streets, and lieth in wait at every corner.)

¹³ So she caught him, and kissed him, and with an impudent face said unto him,

¹⁴ I have peace offerings with me; this day have I payed my vows.

¹ My son, keep my words, and lay up my commandments with thee.

² Keep my commandments, and live; and my law as the apple of thine eye.

³ Bind them upon thy fingers, write them upon the table of thine heart.

⁴ Say unto wisdom, Thou art my sister; and call understanding thy kinswoman:

⁵ That they may keep thee from the strange woman, from the stranger which flattereth with her words.

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

⁷ And beheld among the simple ones, I discerned among the youths, a young man void of understanding,

⁸ Passing through the street near her corner; and he went the way to her house,

⁹ In the twilight, in the evening, in the black and dark night:

¹⁰ And, 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:

¹² Now is she without, now in the streets, and lieth in wait at every corner.)

¹³ So she caught him, and kissed him, and with an impudent face said unto him,

¹⁴ I have peace offerings with me; this day have I payed my vows.

¹ My son, keep my words, and hide with you my commandments. My son, honor the Lord, and you shall be strong; and fear none but him:

² keep my commandments, and you shall live; and keep my words as the pupils of your eyes.

³ And bind them on your fingers, and write them on the table of your heart.

⁴ Say that wisdom is your sister, and gain prudence as an acquaintance for yourself;

⁵ that she may keep you from the strange and wicked woman, if she should assail you with flattering words.

⁶ For she looks from a window out of her house into the streets, at one whom she may see of the senseless ones, a young man void of understanding,

⁷ passing by the corner in the passages near her house,

⁸ and speaking, in the dark of the evening,

⁹ when there happens to be the stillness of night and of darkness:

¹⁰ and the woman meets him having the appearance of a harlot, that causes the hearts of young men to flutter.

¹¹ And she is fickle, and debauched, and her feet abide not at home.

¹² For at one time she wanders without, and at another time she lies in wait in the streets, at every corner.

¹³ Then she caught him, and kissed him, and with an impudent face said to him,

¹⁴ I have a peace-offering; today I pay my vows:

¹ My son, keep my words, and lay up my commandments with thee.

² Keep my commandments and live; and my law as the apple of thine eye.

³ Bind them upon thy fingers; write them upon the table of thine heart.

⁴ Say unto wisdom, Thou art my sister; and call understanding thy kinswoman:

⁵ That they may keep thee from the strange woman, from the stranger which flattereth with her words.

⁶ For at the window of my house I looked forth through my lattice;

⁷ And I beheld among the simple ones, I discerned among the youths, a young man void of understanding,

⁸ Passing through the street near her corner, and he went the way to her house;

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

¹⁰ And, behold, there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot, and wily of heart.

¹¹ She is clamorous, and wilful; her feet abide not in her house:

¹² Now she is in the streets, now in the broad places, and lieth in wait at every corner.

¹³ So she caught him, and kissed him, and with an impudent face she said unto him:

¹⁴ Sacrifices of peace offerings are with me; this day have I paid my vows.

¹ My son, heed my advice, and guard my instructions as you would MET guard a treasure.

² Obey my commands, and as a result you will live a good life. Consider the things that I teach you to be very precious; guard them, just like you protect your eyes.

³ Tie my commands around your fingers in order that they will remind you to obey them. Always keep them in mind MET.

⁴ Love wisdom like you love your sister. Understand what is wise, and let that be as dear to you as members of your family.

⁵ If you are wise and if you understand what is wise PRS, you will not sleep with an immoral woman; you will not listen to a woman who tries to entice you to sleep with her by what she says.

⁶ One day, I was standing at the window inside my house, and I looked outside.

⁷ I saw some young men who did not have good sense. Among them was a man who was very foolish.

⁸ He crossed the street near the house of an immoral woman. He was walking along the path toward her house

⁹ at twilight, when it was getting dark DOU.

¹⁰ Suddenly the woman came out to see/meet him. She was dressed ◄seductively/like a prostitute►, wanting to persuade him to sleep with her.

¹¹ She was a loud talker, one who was rebellious; she SYN never stayed at home.

¹² She often went into the city streets and plazas/markets, waiting to trap some man.

¹³ When she saw that young man, she put her arms around him and kissed him. Then without being a bit ashamed, she said,

¹⁴ “I have some meat that is left over from a sacrifice that I made today to maintain fellowship with Yahweh; I have fulfilled/done what I promised him that I would do.

¹ My son, keep my words, and hide with you my commandments. My son, honour the Lord, and you shall be strong; and fear none but him:

² keep my commandments, and you shall live; and keep my words as the pupils of your eyes.

³ And bind them on your fingers, and write them on the table of your heart.

⁴ Say that wisdom is your sister, and gain prudence as an acquaintance for yourself;

⁵ that she may keep you from the strange and wicked woman, if she should assail you with flattering words.

⁶ For she looks from a window out of her house into the streets, at one whom she may see of the senseless ones, a young man void of understanding,

⁷ passing by the corner in the passages near her house,

⁸ and speaking, in the dark of the evening,

⁹ when there happens to be the stillness of night and of darkness:

¹⁰ and the woman meets him having the appearance of a harlot, that causes the hearts of young men to flutter.

¹¹ And she is fickle, and debauched, and her feet abide not at home.

¹² For at one time she wanders without, and at another time she lies in wait in the streets, at every corner.

¹³ Then she caught him, and kissed him, and with an impudent face said to him,

¹⁴ I have a peace-offering; today I pay my vows:

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. Today I have paid my vows.

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. Today I have paid my vows.

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 amongst the simple ones. I discerned amongst 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. Today I have paid my vows.

¹ My son, keep my sayings, and let my rules be stored up with you.

² Keep my rules and you will have life; let my teaching be to you as the light of your eyes;

³ Let them be fixed to your fingers, and recorded in your heart.

⁴ Say to wisdom, You are my sister; let knowledge be named your special friend:

⁵ So that they may keep you from the strange woman, even from her whose words are smooth.

⁶ Looking out from my house, and watching through the window,

⁷ I saw among the young men one without sense,

⁸ Walking in the street near the turn of her road, going on the way to her house,

⁹ At nightfall, in the evening of the day, in the black dark of the night.

¹⁰ And the woman came out to him, in the dress of a loose woman, with a designing heart;

¹¹ She is full of noise and uncontrolled; her feet keep not in her house.

¹² Now she is in the street, now in the open spaces, waiting at every turning of the road.

¹³ So she took him by his hand, kissing him, and without a sign of shame she said to him:

¹⁴ I have a feast of peace-offerings, for today my oaths have been effected.

¹ My son, keep my words, and lay up my commandments with thee.

² Keep my commandments, and live; and my teaching, as the apple of thine eye.

³ Bind them upon thy fingers, write them upon the tablet of thy heart.

⁴ Say unto wisdom, Thou art my sister, and call intelligence thy kinswoman:

⁵ that they may keep thee from the strange woman, from the stranger who flattereth with her words.

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

⁷ and I beheld among the simple ones, I discerned among the sons, a young man void of understanding,

⁸ passing through the street near her corner; and he went the way to her house,

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

¹⁰ And behold, there met him a woman in the attire of a harlot, and subtle of heart.

¹¹ She is clamorous and unmanageable; her feet abide not in her house:

¹² now without, now in the broadways, — and she lieth in wait at every corner.

¹³ And she caught him and kissed him, and with an impudent face said unto him,

¹⁴ I have peace-offerings with me; this day have I paid my vows:

¹ My son, keep my words, and lay up my precepts with thee. Son,

² Keep my commandments, and thou shalt live: and my law as the apple of thy eye:

³ Bind it upon thy fingers, write it upon the tables of thy heart.

⁴ Say to wisdom: Thou art my sister: and call prudence thy friend,

⁵ That she may keep thee from the woman that is not thine, and from the stranger who sweeteneth her words.

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

⁷ And I see little ones, I behold a foolish young man,

⁸ Who passeth through the street by the corner, and goeth nigh the way of her house.

⁹ In the dark, when it grows late, in the darkness and obscurity of the night,

¹⁰ And behold a woman meeteth him in harlot’s attire prepared to deceive souls; talkative and wandering,

¹¹ Not bearing to be quiet, not able to abide still at home,

¹² Now abroad, now in the streets, now lying in wait near the corners.

¹³ And catching the young man, she kisseth him, and with an impudent face, flattereth, saying:

¹⁴ I vowed victims for prosperity, this day I have paid my vows.

¹ My son, accept what I say and value my instructions.

² Do what I tell you and you will live. Observe my teachings, valuing them as your main focus in life.

³ Tie them to your fingers; write them in your mind.

⁴ Tell wisdom, “You're my sister,” and call insight your best friend.

⁵ They will protect you from the immoral woman, from the prostitute with her seductive words.

⁶ One time I looked through the lattice of the window in my house,

⁷ and I saw among the immature young men one who had no sense at all.

⁸ He was walking down the street near the corner where she lived and took the road passing her house.

⁹ It was at dusk in the evening, as the light was fading and the dark night closed in.

¹⁰ Then out came a woman came to meet him. She was dressed as a prostitute and had deceptive intentions.

¹¹ (She was loud and provocative, never wanting to stay at home.

¹² One moment she'd be walking the streets, the next she'd be there in the town squares, loitering at every corner.)

¹³ She grabbed hold of him and kissed him, and with a bold face she told him,

¹⁴ “I sacrificed my peace offering today, and paid my vows.

¹ My sonne, keepe my wordes, and hide my commandements with thee.

² Keepe my commandements, and thou shalt liue, and mine instruction as the apple of thine eyes.

³ Binde them vpon thy fingers, and write them vpon the table of thine heart.

⁴ Say vnto wisedome, Thou art my sister: and call vnderstanding thy kinswoman,

⁵ That they may keepe thee from the strange woman, euen from the stranger that is smoothe in her wordes.

⁶ As I was in the window of mine house, I looked through my windowe,

⁷ And I sawe among the fooles, and considered among the children a yong man destitute of vnderstanding,

⁸ Who passed through the streete by her corner, and went toward her house,

⁹ In the twilight in the euening, when the night began to be blacke and darke.

¹⁰ And beholde, there met him a woman with an harlots behauiour, and subtill in heart.

¹¹ (She is babling and loud: whose feete can not abide in her house.

¹² Nowe she is without, nowe in the streetes, and lyeth 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: this day haue I payed my vowes.

¹ My son, keep my words, and lay up my commandments with thee.

² Keep my commandments and live, and my teaching as the apple of thine eye.

³ Bind them upon thy fingers, write them upon the table of thy heart.

⁴ Say unto wisdom: 'Thou art my sister', and call understanding thy kinswoman;

⁵ That they may keep thee from the strange woman, from the alien woman that maketh smooth her words.

⁶ For at the window of my house I looked forth through my lattice;

⁷ And I beheld among the thoughtless ones, I discerned among the youths, a young man void of understanding,

⁸ Passing through the street near her corner, and he went the way to her house;

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

¹⁰ And, behold, there met him a woman with the attire of a harlot, and wily of heart.

¹¹ She is riotous and rebellious, her feet abide not in her house;

¹² Now she is in the streets, now in the broad places, and lieth in wait at every corner.

¹³ So she caught him, and kissed him, and with an impudent face she said unto him:

¹⁴ 'Sacrifices of peace-offerings were due from me; this day have I paid my vows.

¹ My son, keep my words, And lay up my commandments with thee.

² Keep my commandments, and live; And my law as the apple of thine eye.

³ Bind them upon thy fingers, Write them upon the table of thine heart.

⁴ Say unto wisdom, Thou art my sister; And call understanding thy kinswoman:

⁵ That they may keep thee from the strange woman, From the stranger which flattereth with her words.

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

⁷ And beheld among the simple ones, I discerned among the youths, A young man void of understanding,

⁸ Passing through the street near her corner; And he went the way to her house,

⁹ In the twilight, in the evening, In the black and dark night:

¹⁰ And behold, there met him a woman With the attire of a harlot, and subtil of heart.

¹¹ (She is loud and stubborn; Her feet abide not in her house:

¹² Now is she without, now in the streets, And lieth in wait at every corner.)

¹³ So she caught him, and kissed him, And with an impudent face said unto him,

¹⁴ I have peace offerings with me; This day have I payed my vows.

¹ My son, observe my sayings, and my commandments must thou treasure up with thee.

² Observe my commandments, and live: and my teaching as the apple of thy eyes.

³ Bind them around thy fingers, write them upon the table of thy heart.

⁴ Say unto wisdom, Thou art my sister; and call understanding thy kinswoman:

⁵ That they may keep thee from an adulterous woman, from an alien that useth flattering speeches.

⁶ For through the window of my house, through my lattice did I once look out,

⁷ And I beheld among the simple ones, I discerned among the youths, a lad void of sense;

⁸ He was passing through the market-place near her corner; and he stepped along on the way to her house,

⁹ In the twilight, in the evening of the day, in the depth of the night and when it was dark:

¹⁰ And, behold, a woman came to meet him with the attire of a harlot, and obdurate of heart.

¹¹ (She is noisy and ungovernable; in her house her feet never rest;

¹² At one time she is in the street, at another in the open places, and near every corner doth she lurk,)

¹³ And she caught hold of him, and kissed him, and with an impudent face she said to him,

¹⁴ “I had bound myself to bring peace-offerings; this day have I paid my vows:

¹ My son, keep my words, And hide with thee my commandments.

^1a My son, honor the Lord, and thou shalt be strong; And fear none but him:

² Keep my commandments, and thou shalt live; And keep my words as the pupils of thine eyes.

³ And bind them on thy fingers, And write them on the table of thy heart.

⁴ Say that wisdom is thy sister, And gain prudence as an acquaintance for thyself;

⁵ That she may keep thee from the strange and wicked woman, If she should assail thee with flattering words.

⁶ For she looks from a window out of her house into the streets, At one whom she may see of the senseless ones, A young man void of understanding,

⁷ Passing by the corner in the passages near her house,

⁸ And speaking, in the dark of the evening,

⁹ When there happens to be the stillness of night and of darkness:

¹⁰ And the woman meets him having the appearance of a harlot, That causes the hearts of young men to flutter.

¹¹ And she is fickle, and debauched, And her feet abide not at home.

¹² For at one time she wanders without, And at another time she lies in wait in the streets, at every corner.

¹³ Then she caught him, and kissed him, And with an impudent face said to him,

¹⁴ I have a peace offering; Today I pay my vows:

¹ My son, keep my words, And treasure up my commandments with thee!

² Keep my commandments and live! Yea, my teaching, as the apple of thine eye!

³ Bind them upon thy fingers, Write them upon the tablet of thy heart!

⁴ Say unto wisdom, “Thou art my sister!” And call understanding thy near acquaintance;

⁵ That they may keep thee from the wife of another, From the stranger, that useth smooth words.

⁶ For through the window of my house, Through the lattice I was looking forth,

⁷ And I saw among the simple ones, I discerned among the youths, A young man void of understanding.

⁸ He was passing through the street near her corner, And was going the way to her house,

⁹ At twilight, in the evening, At midnight, yea, in the thick darkness.

¹⁰ And, behold, a woman met him, In the attire of a harlot, and subtle of heart,—

¹¹ One noisy and unruly, Whose feet abide not in her house;

¹² Who is now in the streets, now in the broad places, And lurketh near every corner.

¹³ She caught hold of him and kissed him, And with a shameless face said to him,

¹⁴ “Thank-offerings have been upon me, And this day have I performed my vows;

¹ My son, keep my words. Lay up my mitzvot ·instructions· within you.

² Obey my mitzvot ·instructions· 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. Today I have paid my vows.

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

² Keep my commands and live and keep my instruction as the apple of your eye.

³ Tie 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 in order to keep yourself from the adulterous woman, from the immoral woman with her smooth words.

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

⁷ I looked at the naive people, and I noticed among the young men a youth who had no sense.

⁸ That young man passed down the street near her corner, and he went toward her house.

⁹ It was twilight, in the evening of the day, at the time of night and darkness.

¹⁰ There a woman met him, dressed like a prostitute, with a false heart.

¹¹ She was loud and wayward; her feet did not stay at home.

¹² Now in the streets, then in the market place, and at every corner she waited in ambush.

¹³ So she grabbed him and kissed him, with a strong face she said to him,

¹⁴ “I made my peace offering today, I paid my vows,

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. Today I have paid my vows.

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 amongst the simple ones. I discerned amongst 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. Today I have paid my vows.

¹ My son, keep my words, and lay up my commandments with thee.

² Keep my commandments, and live; and my law as the apple of thy eye.

³ Bind them upon thy fingers, write them upon the table of thy heart.

⁴ Say to wisdom, Thou art my sister; and call understanding thy kinswoman:

⁵ That they may keep thee from the strange woman, from the stranger which flattereth with her words.

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

⁷ And beheld among the simple ones, I discerned among the youths, a young man void of understanding,

⁸ Passing through the street near her corner; and he went the way to her house.

⁹ In the twilight, in the evening, in the black and dark night:

¹⁰ And behold, there met him a woman with the attire of a harlot, and subtil of heart.

¹¹ (She is loud and stubborn; her feet abide not in her house:

¹² Now is she without, now in the streets, and lieth in wait at every corner.)

¹³ So she caught him, and kissed him, and with an impudent face said to him,

¹⁴ I have peace-offerings with me; this day have I paid my vows.

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. Today I have paid my vows.

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 amongst the simple ones. I discerned amongst 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. Today I have paid my vows.

¹ My son, keep thou my words; and keep my behests to thee.

² Keep thou my behests, and thou shalt live; and my law, as the apple of thine eye.

³ Bind thou it in thy fingers; write thou it in the tables of thine heart.

⁴ Say thou to wisdom, Thou art my sister; and call thou prudence thy love.

⁵ That it keep thee from a strange woman; and from an alien woman, that maketh her words sweet.

⁶ For she saith, For why from the window of mine house, by the lattice, I beheld;

⁷ and I see little children, that is, fools that have little wit. I behold a young man coward or the sorry-hearted young man,

⁸ that passeth by or through the streets, beside the corner; and he goeth nigh the way of her house,

⁹ in dark time, when the day draweth to night, in the darkness and mist in the night.

¹⁰ And lo! a woman, made ready with ornament of an whore to deceive souls, meeteth him,

¹¹ and she is a jangler, and going about, and unpatient of rest, and may not stand in the house with her feet;

¹² and now withoutforth, now in the streets, now beside the corners, she ambusheth.

¹³ And she taketh, and kisseth the young man; and flattereth with wooing cheer, that is, unrestfully, and without shame, and saith,

¹⁴ I owed sacrifices for health; today I have yielded my vows.

¹ My son, keep thou my words; and keep my behests to thee. (My son, remember my words; and keep my commands with thee.)

² Keep thou my behests, and thou shalt live; and my law, as the apple of thine eye. (Keep thou my commands, and thou shalt live; and my instructions, or my teaching, as the apple of thine eyes.)

³ Bind thou it in thy fingers; write thou it in the tables of thine heart. (Bind thou it on thy fingers; write thou it on the tablets of thy heart.)

⁴ Say thou to wisdom, Thou art my sister; and call thou prudence thy love (or and call thou understanding, thy friend).

⁵ That it keep thee from a strange woman; and from an alien woman, that maketh her words sweet. (So that they keep thee safe from a strange woman; yea, from an unknown woman, who maketh her words sweet.)

⁶ (For she saith), For why from the window of mine house, by the lattice, I beheld;

⁷ and I see little children, that is, fools that have little wit. I behold a young man coward, (and I see fools, who have little intelligence. I behold a cowardly young man,)

⁸ that passeth by the streets, beside the corner, (or who passeth along the street, beside the corner); and he goeth nigh the way of her house,

⁹ in dark time, when the day draweth to night, in the darkness and mist in the night.

¹⁰ And lo! a woman, made ready with (the) ornament of an whore to deceive souls, meeteth him,

¹¹ and she is a jangler, and going about, and unpatient of rest, and may not stand in the house with her feet; (and she is a gossip, who goeth about restlessly, yea, who cannot stand still in her own house;)

¹² and now withoutforth, now in the streets, now beside the corners, she ambusheth (him).

¹³ And she taketh (hold of), and kisseth the young man; and flattereth (him) with wooing cheer, that is, unrestful (ly), and without shame, and saith,

¹⁴ I owed sacrifices for health (or I have paid my offerings for my deliverance); today I have yielded my vows.

¹ My son! keep my sayings, And my commands lay up with thee.

² Keep my commands, and live, And my law as the pupil of thine eye.

³ Bind them on thy fingers, Write them on the tablet of thy heart.

⁴ Say to wisdom, 'My sister Thou art.' And cry to understanding, 'Kinswoman!'

⁵ To preserve thee from a strange woman, From a stranger who hath made smooth her sayings.

⁶ For, at a window of my house, Through my casement I have looked out,

⁷ And I do see among the simple ones, I discern among the sons, A young man lacking understanding,

⁸ Passing on in the street, near her corner, And the way to her house he doth step,

⁹ In the twilight — in the evening of day, In the darkness of night and blackness.

¹⁰ And, lo, a woman to meet him — (A harlot's dress, and watchful of heart,

¹¹ Noisy she is, and stubborn, In her house her feet rest not.

¹² Now in an out-place, now in broad places, And near every corner she lieth in wait) —

¹³ And she laid hold on him, and kissed him, She hath hardened her face, and saith to him,

¹⁴ 'Sacrifices of peace-offerings are by me, To-day I have completed my vows.