Warnings about the Adulteress 1 DBY My son, keep my words, and lay up my commandments with thee. BSB BSB: My son, keep my words and treasure my commandments within you.
2 DBY Keep my commandments, and live; and my teaching, as the apple of thine eye. BSB BSB: Keep my commandments and live; guard my teachings as the apple of your eye.
3 DBY Bind them upon thy fingers, write them upon the tablet of thy heart. BSB BSB: Tie them to your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 DBY Say unto wisdom, Thou art my sister, and call intelligence thy kinswoman: BSB BSB: Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,” and call understanding your kinsman,
5 DBY that they may keep thee from the strange woman, from the stranger who flattereth with her words. BSB BSB: that they may keep you from the adulteress, from the stranger with seductive words.
6 DBY For at the window of my house, I looked forth through my lattice, BSB BSB: For at the window of my house I looked through the lattice.
7 DBY and I beheld among the simple ones, I discerned among the sons, a young man void of understanding, BSB BSB: I saw among the simple, I noticed among the youths, a young man lacking judgment,
8 DBY passing through the street near her corner; and he went the way to her house, BSB BSB: crossing the street near her corner, strolling down the road to her house,
9 DBY in the twilight, in the evening of the day, in the blackness of night and the darkness. BSB BSB: at twilight, as the day was fading into the dark of the night.
10 DBY And behold, there met him a woman in the attire of a harlot, and subtle of heart. BSB BSB: Then a woman came out to meet him, with the attire of a harlot and cunning of heart.
11 DBY She is clamorous and unmanageable; her feet abide not in her house: BSB BSB: She is loud and defiant; her feet do not remain at home.
12 DBY now without, now in the broadways, — and she lieth in wait at every corner. BSB BSB: Now in the street, now in the squares, she lurks at every corner.
13 DBY And she caught him and kissed him, and with an impudent face said unto him, BSB BSB: She seizes him and kisses him; she brazenly says to him:
14 DBY I have peace-offerings with me; this day have I paid my vows: BSB BSB: “I have made my peace offerings; today I have paid my vows.
15 DBY therefore came I forth to meet thee, to seek earnestly thy face, and I have found thee. BSB BSB: So I came out to meet you; I sought you, and I have found you.
16 DBY I have decked my bed with tapestry coverlets of variegated linen from Egypt; BSB BSB: I have decked my bed with coverings, with colored linen from Egypt.
17 DBY I have perfumed my couch with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. BSB BSB: I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, with aloes, and with cinnamon.
18 DBY Come, let us revel in love until the morning, let us delight ourselves with loves. BSB BSB: Come, let us take our fill of love till morning. Let us delight in loving caresses!
19 DBY For the husband is not at home, he is gone a long journey; BSB BSB: For my husband is not at home; he has gone on a long journey.
20 DBY he hath taken the money-bag with him, he will come home on the day of the full moon. BSB BSB: He took with him a bag of money and will not return till the moon is full.”
21 DBY With her much enticement she beguiled him; with the smoothness of her lips she constrained him. BSB BSB: With her great persuasion she entices him; with her flattering lips she lures him.
22 DBY He went after her straightway, as an ox goeth to the slaughter, and as stocks serve for the correction of the fool; BSB BSB: He follows her on impulse, like an ox going to the slaughter, like a deer bounding into a trap,
23 DBY till an arrow strike through his liver: as a bird hasteth to the snare, and knoweth not that it is for its life. BSB BSB: until an arrow pierces his liver, like a bird darting into a snare—not knowing it will cost him his life.
24 DBY And now, ye sons, hearken unto me, and attend to the words of my mouth. BSB BSB: Now, my sons, listen to me, and attend to the words of my mouth.
25 DBY Let not thy heart decline to her ways, go not astray in her paths: BSB BSB: Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways; do not stray into her paths.
26 DBY for she hath cast down many wounded, and all slain by her were strong. BSB BSB: For she has brought many down to death; her slain are many in number.
27 DBY Her house is the way to Sheol, going down to the chambers of death. BSB BSB: Her house is the road to Sheol, descending to the chambers of death.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.