Proverbs 7:5-8:18

English Standard Version

⁵to keep you from ^(A)the forbidden^[a] woman,
from ^(B)the adulteress^[b] with her smooth words.

⁶For at ^(C)the window of my house
    I have looked out through my lattice,
⁷and I have seen among ^(D)the simple,
    I have perceived among the youths,
    a young man ^(E)lacking sense,
⁸passing along the street ^(F)near her corner,
    taking the road to her house
⁹in ^(G)the twilight, in the evening,
    at ^(H)the time of night and darkness.

¹⁰And behold, the woman meets him,
    ^(I)dressed as a prostitute, wily of heart.^[c]
¹¹She is ^(J)loud and ^(K)wayward;
    ^(L)her feet do not stay at home;
¹²now in the street, now in the market,
    and ^(M)at every corner she ^(N)lies in wait.
¹³She seizes him and kisses him,
    and with ^(O)bold face she says to him,
¹⁴“I had to ^(P)offer sacrifices,^[d]
    and today I have ^(Q)paid my vows;
¹⁵so now I have come out to meet you,
    to seek you eagerly, and I have found you.
¹⁶I have spread my couch with ^(R)coverings,
    colored linens from ^(S)Egyptian linen;
¹⁷I have perfumed my bed with ^(T)myrrh,
    aloes, and ^(U)cinnamon.
¹⁸Come, let us take our fill of love till morning;
    let us delight ourselves with love.
¹⁹For ^(V)my husband is not at home;
    he has gone on a long journey;
²⁰he took a bag of money with him;
    at full moon he will come home.”

²¹With much seductive speech she persuades him;
    with ^(W)her smooth talk she compels him.
²²All at once he follows her,
    as an ox goes to the slaughter,
or as a stag is caught fast^[e]
²³    till an arrow pierces its liver;
as ^(X)a bird rushes into a snare;
    he does not know that it will cost him his life.

²⁴And ^(Y)now, O sons, listen to me,
    and be attentive to the words of my mouth.
²⁵Let not your heart turn aside to her ways;
    do not stray into her paths,
²⁶for many a victim has she laid low,
    and all her slain are ^(Z)a mighty throng.
²⁷Her house is ^(AA)the way to Sheol,
    going down to the chambers of death.

The Blessings of Wisdom

8 Does not ^(AB)wisdom call?
    Does not ^(AC)understanding raise her voice?
²On ^(AD)the heights beside the way,
    at the crossroads she takes her stand;
³beside ^(AE)the gates in front of ^(AF)the town,
    at the entrance of the portals she cries aloud:
⁴“To you, O ^(AG)men, I call,
    and my cry is to ^(AH)the children of man.
⁵O ^(AI)simple ones, learn ^(AJ)prudence;
    O ^(AK)fools, learn sense.
⁶Hear, for I will speak ^(AL)noble things,
    and from my lips will come ^(AM)what is right,
⁷for my ^(AN)mouth will utter truth;
    wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
⁸All the words of my mouth are righteous;
    there is nothing ^(AO)twisted or crooked in them.
⁹They are all ^(AP)straight to him who understands,
    and right to those who find knowledge.
¹⁰^(AQ)Take my instruction instead of silver,
    and knowledge rather than choice gold,
¹¹^(AR)for wisdom is better than jewels,
    and ^(AS)all that you may desire cannot compare with her.

¹²“I, wisdom, dwell with prudence,
    and I find knowledge and ^(AT)discretion.
¹³^(AU)The fear of the Lord is ^(AV)hatred of evil.
^(AW)Pride and arrogance and the way of evil
    and ^(AX)perverted speech I hate.
¹⁴I have ^(AY)counsel and ^(AZ)sound wisdom;
    I have insight; ^(BA)I have strength.
¹⁵By me ^(BB)kings reign,
    and rulers decree what is just;
¹⁶by me princes rule,
    and nobles, all who govern justly.^[f]
¹⁷^(BC)I love those who love me,
    and ^(BD)those who seek me diligently find me.
¹⁸^(BE)Riches and honor are with me,
    ^(BF)enduring wealth and ^(BG)righteousness.

Footnotes

Proverbs 7:5 Hebrew strange
Proverbs 7:5 Hebrew the foreign woman
Proverbs 7:10 Hebrew guarded in heart
Proverbs 7:14 Hebrew peace offerings
Proverbs 7:22 Probable reading (compare Septuagint, Vulgate, Syriac); Hebrew as a chain to discipline a fool
Proverbs 8:16 Most Hebrew manuscripts; many Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint govern the earth