English Standard Version

New King James Version

Warning Against the Adulteress

My son, keep my words
and treasure up my commandments with you;

1

The Wiles of a Harlot

My son, keep my words,
And treasure my commands within you.

2

keep my commandments and live;
keep my teaching as the apple of your eye;

2

Keep my commands and live,
And my law as the apple of your eye.

3

bind them on your fingers;
write them on the tablet of your heart.

3

Bind them on your fingers;
Write them on the tablet of your heart.

4

Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,”
and call insight your intimate friend,

4

Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,”
And call understanding your nearest kin,

5

to keep you from the forbiddena woman,
from the adulteressb with her smooth words.

5

That they may keep you from the immoral woman,
From the seductress who flatters with her words.

6

For at the window of my house
I have looked out through my lattice,

6

The Crafty Harlot

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

7

and I have seen among the simple,
I have perceived among the youths,
a young man lacking sense,

7

And saw among the simple,
I perceived among the [a]youths,
A young man devoid[b] of understanding,

8

passing along the street near her corner,
taking the road to her house

8

Passing along the street near her corner;
And he took the path to her house

9

in the twilight, in the evening,
at the time of night and darkness.

9

In the twilight, in the evening,
In the black and dark night.

10

And behold, the woman meets him,
dressed as a prostitute, wily of heart.c

10

And there a woman met him,
With the attire of a harlot, and a crafty heart.

11

She is loud and wayward;
her feet do not stay at home;

11

She was loud and rebellious,
Her feet would not stay at home.

12

now in the street, now in the market,
and at every corner she lies in wait.

12

At times she was outside, at times in the open square,
Lurking at every corner.

13

She seizes him and kisses him,
and with bold face she says to him,

13

So she caught him and kissed him;
With an [c]impudent face she said to him:

14

“I had to offer sacrifices,d
and today I have paid my vows;

14

“I have peace offerings with me;
Today I have paid my vows.

15

so now I have come out to meet you,
to seek you eagerly, and I have found you.

15

So I came out to meet you,
Diligently to seek your face,
And I have found you.

16

I have spread my couch with coverings,
colored linens from Egyptian linen;

16

I have spread my bed with tapestry,
Colored coverings of Egyptian linen.

17

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

17

I have perfumed my bed
With myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.

18

Come, let us take our fill of love till morning;
let us delight ourselves with love.

18

Come, let us take our fill of love until morning;
Let us delight ourselves with love.

19

For my husband is not at home;
he has gone on a long journey;

19

For [d]my husband is not at home;
He has gone on a long journey;

20

he took a bag of money with him;
at full moon he will come home.”

20

He has taken a bag of money [e]with him,
And will come home [f]on the appointed day.”

21

With much seductive speech she persuades him;
with her smooth talk she compels him.

21

[g]With her enticing speech she caused him to yield,
With her flattering lips she [h]seduced him.

22

All at once he follows her,
as an ox goes to the slaughter,
or as a stag is caught faste

22

Immediately he went after her, as an ox goes to the slaughter,
Or [i]as a fool to the correction of the [j]stocks,

23

till an arrow pierces its liver;
as a bird rushes into a snare;
he does not know that it will cost him his life.

23

Till an arrow struck his liver.
As a bird hastens to the snare,
He did not know it [k]would cost his life.

24

And now, O sons, listen to me,
and be attentive to the words of my mouth.

24

Now therefore, listen to me, my children;
Pay attention to the words of my mouth:

25

Let not your heart turn aside to her ways;
do not stray into her paths,

25

Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways,
Do not stray into her paths;

26

for many a victim has she laid low,
and all her slain are a mighty throng.

26

For she has cast down many wounded,
And all who were slain by her were strong men.

27

Her house is the way to Sheol,
going down to the chambers of death.

27

Her house is the way to [l]hell,
Descending to the chambers of death.

Parallel

English Standard Version

New King James Version

Proverbs 7

Proverbs 7