Proverbs 7

Another Warning about Immoral Women

¹Follow my advice, my son;

always treasure my commands.

²Obey my commands and live!

Guard my instructions as you guard your own eyes.^a

³Tie them on your fingers as a reminder.

Write them deep within your heart.

⁴Love wisdom like a sister;

make insight a beloved member of your family.

⁵Let them protect you from an affair with an immoral woman,

from listening to the flattery of a promiscuous woman.

⁶While I was at the window of my house,

looking through the curtain,

⁷I saw some naive young men,

and one in particular who lacked common sense.

⁸He was crossing the street near the house of an immoral woman,

strolling down the path by her house.

⁹It was at twilight, in the evening,

as deep darkness fell.

¹⁰The woman approached him,

seductively dressed and sly of heart.

¹¹She was the brash, rebellious type,

never content to stay at home.

¹²She is often in the streets and markets,

soliciting at every corner.

¹³She threw her arms around him and kissed him,

and with a brazen look she said,

¹⁴“I’ve just made my peace offerings

and fulfilled my vows.

¹⁵You’re the one I was looking for!

I came out to find you, and here you are!

¹⁶My bed is spread with beautiful blankets,

with colored sheets of Egyptian linen.

¹⁷I’ve perfumed my bed

with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.

¹⁸Come, let’s drink our fill of love until morning.

Let’s enjoy each other’s caresses,

¹⁹for my husband is not home.

He’s away on a long trip.

²⁰He has taken a wallet full of money with him

and won’t return until later this month.^b”

²¹So she seduced him with her pretty speech

and enticed him with her flattery.

²²He followed her at once,

like an ox going to the slaughter.

He was like a stag caught in a trap,^c

²³awaiting the arrow that would pierce its heart.

He was like a bird flying into a snare,

little knowing it would cost him his life.

²⁴So listen to me, my sons,

and pay attention to my words.

²⁵Don’t let your hearts stray away toward her.

Don’t wander down her wayward path.

²⁶For she has been the ruin of many;

many men have been her victims.

²⁷Her house is the road to the grave.^d

Her bedroom is the den of death.