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Proverbs

Offers wisdom and advice on how to live a good and meaningful life.

Chapter 7

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

*"Son, follow my advice and store my rules within you."

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

*Follow my rules and live; make my teachings a top priority.

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

*Put them on your fingers as reminders, make them a part of your heart's memories.

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

*Tell wisdom that you consider it your sister, and refer to understanding as your relative.

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

*So that they can protect you from the unusual woman, the one who tricks with her words.

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

*At my window, I peered out from the opening.

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

*I saw among the naive people, while looking at the young group, a young man who had no wisdom.

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

*Walking down the block by her turn; then he headed to her home.

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

*In the dim light of dusk, during the evening hours, under the black and dark blanket of night:

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

*And suddenly, a woman dressed like a prostitute with a clever and deceitful mind approached him.

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

*She is noisy and unyielding; she doesn't keep her feet at home:

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

*Now she is outside, now on the streets, and hides at every corner.

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

*So she caught him, kissed him, and, with a bold expression, told him,

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

*I bring gifts of peace today; I've fulfilled my promises.

15 Therefore came I forth to meet thee, diligently to seek thy face, and I have found thee.

*So, I came to find you carefully and I did find you.

16 I have decked my bed with coverings of tapestry, with carved works, with fine linen of Egypt.

*I've decorated my bed with colorful tapestries, beautiful carvings, and high-quality Egyptian linen.

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

*I put sweet smelling stuff like myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon on my bed.

18 Come, let us take our fill of love until the morning: let us solace ourselves with loves.

*Come, let's enjoy love fully till morning; let's comfort ourselves with love.

19 For the goodman is not at home, he is gone a long journey:

*The good man isn't at home; he went on a really long trip.

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

*He has taken a bag of money and will return home on the scheduled day.

21 With her much fair speech she caused him to yield, with the flattering of her lips she forced him.

*She convinced him with her sweet words, and her flattery made him give in.

22 He goeth after her straightway, as an ox goeth to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks;

*He chases her directly, like an ox going to slaughter or a fool to punishment with sticks.

23 Till a dart strike through his liver; as a bird hasteth to the snare, and knoweth not that it is for his life.

*Until a dart pierces his liver; like a bird rushing to a trap, not knowing it's for his own life.

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

*Listen to me now, kids, and pay attention to what I'm saying.

25 Let not thine heart decline to her ways, go not astray in her paths.

*Don't let your heart follow her ways, don't stray on her paths.

26 For she hath cast down many wounded: yea, many strong men have been slain by her.

*She has defeated many injured people; yes, she has killed many powerful fighters.

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

*Her home leads to hell, descending to death's lower levels.

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