The Word Am I

The Proverbs

⭑ Douay-Rheims :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

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- Chapter 7 -

prevention against fornication

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.
15
Therefore I am come out to meet thee, desirous to see thee, and I have found thee.
16
I have woven my bed with cords, I have covered it with painted tapestry, brought from Egypt.
17
I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
18
Come, let us be inebriated with the breasts, and let us enjoy the desired embraces, till the day appear.
19
For my husband is not at home, he is gone a very long journey.
20
He took with him a bag of money: he mill return home the day of the full moon.
21
She entangled him with many words, and drew him away with the flattery of her lips.
22
Immediately he followeth her as an ox led to be a victim, and as a lamb playing the wanton, and not knowing that he is drawn like a fool to bonds,
23
Till the arrow pierce his liver: as if a bird should make haste to the snare, and knoweth not that his life is in danger.
24
Now therefore, my son, hear me, and attend to the words of my mouth.
25
Let not thy mind be drawn away in her ways: neither be thou deceived with her paths.
26
For she hath cast down many wounded, and the strongest have been slain by her.
27
Her house is the way to hell, reaching even to the inner chambers of death.

prevention against fornication

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.
15
Therefore I came out to meet you, to diligently seek your face, and I have found you.
16
I have spread my couch with carpets of tapestry, with striped cloths of the yarn of Egypt.
17
I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
18
Come, let’s take our fill of loving until the morning. Let’s solace ourselves with loving.
19
For my husband isn’t at home. He has gone on a long journey.
20
He has taken a bag of money with him. He will come home at the full moon.”
21
With persuasive words, she led him astray. With the flattering of her lips, she seduced him.
22
He followed her immediately, as an ox goes to the slaughter, as a fool stepping into a noose.
23
Until an arrow strikes through his liver, as a bird hurries to the snare, and doesn’t know that it will cost his life.
24
Now therefore, sons, listen to me. Pay attention to the words of my mouth.
25
Don’t let your heart turn to her ways. Don’t go astray in her paths,
26
for she has thrown down many wounded. Yes, all her slain are a mighty army.
27
Her house is the way to Sheol,(a) going down to the rooms of death.

Footnotes

(a)7:27 Sheol is the place of the dead.
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