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Proverbs 7-9

On Avoiding the Immoral Woman

My son, guard what I say
and treasure my commands.
Keep my commands and you’ll live.
    Guard[a] my teaching as you do your eyesight.
Strap them to your fingers
    and engrave them on the tablet of your heart.
Say to wisdom, “You’re my sister!”
    and call understanding your close relative,
so they can keep you from an adulterous woman,
    from the immoral woman with her seductive words.

A Father’s Warning

For from a window in my house
    I peered through the lattice work,
and I noticed among the naïve—
    that is, I discerned among the youths—
        a senseless young man.
Proceeding down the street near her corner,
    he makes his way toward her house
at twilight, during the evening,
    even during the darkest part of the night.
10 Look! A woman makes her way to meet him,
    dressed as a prostitute
        and intending to entrap him.
11 She is brazen and defiant—
    her feet don’t remain at home.
12 Now she is in the street, now in the plazas,
    she lurks near every corner.

13 So she grabs hold of him and kisses him,
    with a brazen face she speaks to him,
14 “I have given[b] my peace offerings,
    and today I fulfilled my vows.
15 Therefore, I’ve come out to meet you,
    I’ve looked just for you,
        and I found you!
16 I’ve decorated my bed with new coverings—
    embroidered linen from Egypt.
17 I’ve perfumed my bed
    with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
18 Come, let’s make love until dawn;
    let’s comfort ourselves with love,
19 because my husband isn’t home.
    He left on a long trip.
20 He took a fist full of cash
    and he’ll return home in a month.”

21 She leads him astray with great persuasion;
    with flattering lips she seduces him.
22 All of a sudden he follows her
    like an ox fit for slaughter
        or like a fool fit for a trap[c]
23 until an arrow pierces his liver.
    As a bird darts into a snare,
        he doesn’t realize his fatal decision.[d]

24 So listen to me, my sons,
    and pay attention to what I have to say.
25 Don’t be led astray by her lifestyle,[e]
    and don’t imitate her behavior.[f]
26 For many are the victims whom she has conquered,
    and many are her slain.
27 Her house leads to Sheol,[g]
    descending to death’s catacombs.

Wisdom Calls for an Audience

Isn’t wisdom calling out;
isn’t understanding raising her voice?
On top of the highest places along the road
    she stands where the roads meet.
Beside the gates, at the city entrance—
    at the entrance to the portals she cries aloud:
“I’m calling to you, men!
    What I have to say pertains[h] to all mankind!
Understand prudence, you naïve people;
    and gain an understanding heart, you foolish ones.
Listen, because I have noble things to say,
    and what I have to say[i] will reveal what is right.
For my mouth speaks the truth—
    wickedness is detestable to me.
Everything I have to say is just;
    there isn’t anything corrupt or perverse in my speech.[j]
Everything I say is sensible to someone who understands,
    and correct to those who have acquired knowledge.
10 Grab hold of my instruction in lieu of money
    and knowledge instead of the finest gold,
11 because wisdom is better than precious gems[k]
    and nothing you desire can compare to it.”

The Way of Wisdom

12 “I, wisdom, am related to[l] prudence.
    I know how to be discreet.
13 The fear of the Lord is to hate evil.
    Pride, arrogance, an evil lifestyle,
        and perverted speech I despise.
14 Counsel belongs to me,
    along with sound judgment.
I am understanding.
    Power belongs to me.
15 Kings reign by me,
    and rulers dispense justice through me.
16 By me leaders rule, as do noble officials
    and all who govern justly.[m]
17 I love those who love me,
    and those who seek me will find me.
18 Wealth and honor accompany me,
    as do enduring wealth and righteousness.
19 My fruit is better than gold,
    better[n] than even refined gold,
        and my benefit surpasses the purest silver.
20 I walk on the way of righteousness,
    along paths that are just,
21 I bequeath wealth to those who love me,
    and I will fill their treasuries.”

The Agelessness of Wisdom

22 “The Lord made me as he began his planning,[o]
    before his ancient activity commenced.
23 From eternity I was appointed,
    from the beginning,
        from before there was land.
24 When there were no ocean depths,
    I brought them[p] to birth
        at a time when there were no springs.
25 Before the mountains were shaped,
    before there were hills,
        I was bringing them[q] to birth.

26 Even though he had not made the earth, nor the fields,
    nor the world’s first grains of dust,
27 when he crafted the heavens,
    I was there—
        when he marked out a circle on the face of the deep,
28 when he made the clouds from above,
    when the springs of the depths were established,
29 when he set a boundary for the sea
    so the waters would not exceed his limits,[r]
        when he marked out the foundations of the earth.
30 Then I was with him, his master craftsman—
    I was his delight[s] daily,
        continuously rejoicing in his presence,
31 rejoicing in his inhabitable world
    and taking delight in mankind.”

The Exhortation of Wisdom

32 “So listen to me, children!
    Blessed are those who obey me.
33 Listen to instruction and be wise.
    Don’t ignore it.
34 Blessed is the person who listens to me,
    watching daily at my gates,
        waiting at my doorways—
35 because those who find me find life
    and gain favor from the Lord.
36 But whoever sins against me destroys himself;
    everyone who hates me loves death.”

Wisdom’s Invitation

Wisdom[t] has built her house;
she has hewn out her seven pillars.
She has prepared her food,[u]
    she has spiced[v] her wine,
        and she also has set her dining table.
She has sent out her young women,
    while calling out from the heights of the city,
“Let whoever is naïve, turn in here.”
    To anyone lacking sense, she says,
“Come! Eat my food,
    and drink the wine that I have mixed.
Leave your naïve ways, and live.
    Walk in the path of understanding.”

Wisdom Extends Life

Whoever corrects a mocker invites only insult,[w]
    and whoever rebukes the wicked will himself become stained.
Don’t rebuke a mocker or he will hate you.
    Rebuke a wise person, and he will love you.
Counsel a wise man,
    and he will be wiser still;
teach a righteous man,
    and he will add to his learning.

10 The fear of the Lord is where wisdom begins,
    and knowing holiness[x] demonstrates understanding.
11 For because of me you will live a long life,
    and years will be added to your life.
12 If you are wise,
    your wisdom will assist you.
If you mock,
    you alone will be held responsible.

Folly’s Entrapment

13 The foolish woman is loud,
    undisciplined, and without knowledge.
14 She sits at the entrance of her house,
    on a seat high above the city.
15 She calls out to those passing by on the road,
    who are minding their own business,[y]
16 “Whoever is naïve, turn in here!”
    And to anyone lacking sense, she says,
17 “Stolen waters are sweet,
    and food eaten in secret is delicious.”
18 But he does not realize that the dead lurk there,
    and her invited guests wind up in the depths of Sheol.[z]

International Standard Version (ISV)

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