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慎防淫妇的诱惑

我儿,要遵守我的话,

把我的诫命珍藏在心里;

遵守我的诫命,你就可以存活;

遵守我的训诲,好象护卫你眼中的瞳人。

要把它们系在你的指头上,

刻在你的心版上。

要对智慧说:“你是我的姊妹”,

要称呼聪明为亲人;

这样行就可以保护你脱离淫乱的妇人,

脱离说谄媚话的妓女。

我在我家的窗户内,

透过窗棂往外观看,

看见在愚蒙人中间,

在少年人(“少年人”原文作“众子”)里面,

我发觉有一个无知的少年人,

在街上经过,走近淫妇的住处,

向着她的家走去,

那时是黄昏、傍晚,

是在夜里,天黑的时候。

10 看哪!有一个妇人来迎接他,

是妓女的打扮,心存诡诈。

11 这妇人喧哗不停,不受约束;

她在家里停不住脚。

12 她有时在街上,有时在广场上,

或在任何角落旁边藏伏。

13 她紧拉着那少年人,和他亲嘴,

厚颜无耻地对他说:

14 “我曾许愿要献平安祭,

今天我刚还了我所许的愿。

15 因此,我出来迎接你,

切切寻找你,终于找到你。

16 我已用毯子,埃及线织成的花纹布,

铺了我的床;

17 又用没药、沉香和桂皮,

熏了我的榻。

18 来吧!我们来饱享爱情,直到天亮,

我们来在爱中尽情享乐。

19 因为我丈夫不在家,

远行去了。

20 他手里带着钱袋,

要到月圆的时候才回家。”

21 淫妇用许多花言巧语引诱他,

用谄媚的嘴唇勾引他。

22 少年人就立刻跟随她,

好象牛走向屠房,

又像愚妄人带着锁炼去受刑罚,

23 直到箭矢射透他的肝;

他仿佛飞鸟投入网罗,

并不知道会丧失性命。

24 孩子们,现在你们要听从我,

留心听我口中的话。

25 你的心不可偏向淫妇的道路,

也不要迷恋她的路径。

26 因为她使许多人倒毙,

被她杀害的实在无数。

27 她的家是通往阴间的路,

是下到死亡的宫房。

Warning Against the Adulterous Woman

My son,(A) keep my words
    and store up my commands within you.
Keep my commands and you will live;(B)
    guard my teachings as the apple of your eye.
Bind them on your fingers;
    write them on the tablet of your heart.(C)
Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,”
    and to insight, “You are my relative.”
They will keep you from the adulterous woman,
    from the wayward woman with her seductive words.(D)

At the window of my house
    I looked down through the lattice.
I saw among the simple,
    I noticed among the young men,
    a youth who had no sense.(E)
He was going down the street near her corner,
    walking along in the direction of her house
at twilight,(F) as the day was fading,
    as the dark of night set in.

10 Then out came a woman to meet him,
    dressed like a prostitute and with crafty intent.
11 (She is unruly(G) and defiant,
    her feet never stay at home;
12 now in the street, now in the squares,
    at every corner she lurks.)(H)
13 She took hold of him(I) and kissed him
    and with a brazen face she said:(J)

14 “Today I fulfilled my vows,
    and I have food from my fellowship offering(K) at home.
15 So I came out to meet you;
    I looked for you and have found you!
16 I have covered my bed
    with colored linens from Egypt.
17 I have perfumed my bed(L)
    with myrrh,(M) aloes and cinnamon.
18 Come, let’s drink deeply of love till morning;
    let’s enjoy ourselves with love!(N)
19 My husband is not at home;
    he has gone on a long journey.
20 He took his purse filled with money
    and will not be home till full moon.”

21 With persuasive words she led him astray;
    she seduced him with her smooth talk.(O)
22 All at once he followed her
    like an ox going to the slaughter,
like a deer[a] stepping into a noose[b](P)
23     till an arrow pierces(Q) his liver,
like a bird darting into a snare,
    little knowing it will cost him his life.(R)

24 Now then, my sons, listen(S) to me;
    pay attention to what I say.
25 Do not let your heart turn to her ways
    or stray into her paths.(T)
26 Many are the victims she has brought down;
    her slain are a mighty throng.
27 Her house is a highway to the grave,
    leading down to the chambers of death.(U)

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 7:22 Syriac (see also Septuagint); Hebrew fool
  2. Proverbs 7:22 The meaning of the Hebrew for this line is uncertain.

My son, keep my words; lay up within you my commandments [for use when needed] and treasure them.

Keep my commandments and live, and keep my law and teaching as the apple (the pupil) of your eye.

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

Say to skillful and godly Wisdom, You are my sister, and regard understanding or insight as your intimate friend—

That they may keep you from the loose woman, from the adventuress who flatters with and makes smooth her words.

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

And among the simple (empty-headed and emptyhearted) ones, I perceived among the youths a young man void of good sense,

Sauntering through the street near the [loose woman’s] corner; and he went the way to her house

In the twilight, in the evening; night black and dense was falling [over the young man’s life].

10 And behold, there met him a woman, dressed as a harlot and sly and cunning of heart.

11 She is turbulent and willful; her feet stay not in her house;

12 Now in the streets, now in the marketplaces, she sets her ambush at every corner.

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

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

15 So I came forth to meet you [that you might share with me the feast from my offering]; diligently I sought your face, and I have found you.

16 I have spread my couch with rugs and cushions of tapestry, with striped sheets of fine linen of Egypt.

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

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

19 For the man is not at home; he is gone on a long journey;

20 He has taken a bag of money with him and will come home at the day appointed [at the full moon].

21 With much justifying and enticing argument she persuades him, with the allurements of her lips she leads him [to overcome his conscience and his fears] and forces him along.

22 Suddenly he [yields and] follows her reluctantly like an ox moving to the slaughter, like one in fetters going to the correction [to be given] to a fool or [a]like a dog enticed by food to the muzzle

23 Till a dart [of passion] pierces and inflames his vitals; then like a bird fluttering straight into the net [he hastens], not knowing that it will cost him his life.

24 Listen to me now therefore, O you sons, and be attentive to the words of my mouth.

25 Let not your heart incline toward her ways, do not stray into her paths.

26 For she has cast down many wounded; indeed, all her slain are a mighty host.(A)

27 Her house is the way to Sheol (Hades, the place of the dead), going down to the chambers of death.

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 7:22 The Septuagint (Greek translation of the Old Testament) so reads at this point.