Warnings about the Adulteress 1 UST My son, obey what I have told you. Carefully remember the things that I have commanded you. BSB BSB: My son, keep my words and treasure my commandments within you.
2 UST Do what I have commanded{ you}, so that you will live{ long and well}. Consider the rules I have taught you to be the most precious things that you possess. BSB BSB: Keep my commandments and live; guard my teachings as the apple of your eye.
3 UST Constantly remind yourself of the things that I have commanded you. Memorize them! BSB BSB: Tie them to your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 UST Love what is wise as if it were your sister. Indeed, love what you should understand as if it were a close relative. BSB BSB: Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,” and call understanding your kinsman,
5 UST { Do this} so that you will be able to stay away from adulterous women, and{ stay away} from immoral women who speak{ to you} seductively. BSB BSB: that they may keep you from the adulteress, from the stranger with seductive words.
6 UST { I was} once{ standing} near the window{ in my house}, and I looked down{ from above the street} through the shutters on the window. BSB BSB: For at the window of my house I looked through the lattice.
7 UST Then I observed{ someone} among the naive people. I noticed among the youths a young man who does not think wisely. BSB BSB: I saw among the simple, I noticed among the youths, a young man lacking judgment,
8 UST He walked down the street near the corner of{ the road where} the adulterous woman{ dwells}. Then he walked on the path toward her house. BSB BSB: crossing the street near her corner, strolling down the road to her house,
9 UST (It was the time of day when night begins,{ and then} it became dark.) BSB BSB: at twilight, as the day was fading into the dark of the night.
10 UST Then I saw that an adulterous woman approached the young man. She was wearing a prostitute’ s clothing and intended to deceive{ the young man}. BSB BSB: Then a woman came out to meet him, with the attire of a harlot and cunning of heart.
11 UST (That woman spoke loudly and acted rebelliously. She never stayed at home. BSB BSB: She is loud and defiant; her feet do not remain at home.
12 UST She{ often} walked around the streets and public places. At the corner of any road she waited{ for a man whom she could seduce}.) BSB BSB: Now in the street, now in the squares, she lurks at every corner.
13 UST When{ she saw the young man}, she firmly took hold of him and kissed him. She shamelessly told{ him}, BSB BSB: She seizes him and kisses him; she brazenly says to him:
14 UST “Today{ I have meat in my house, because} I sacrificed an animal{ in the temple} to promise friendship{ with Yahweh}.{ In this way} I did what I had vowed to do. BSB BSB: “I have made my peace offerings; today I have paid my vows.
15 UST So I have come out here to meet you.{ I have come out} to look everywhere for you, and now I have found you! BSB BSB: So I came out to meet you; I sought you, and I have found you.
16 UST I have covered my bed with expensive Egyptian fabric. BSB BSB: I have decked my bed with coverings, with colored linen from Egypt.
17 UST I have put pleasant- smelling perfumes on my bed: myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. BSB BSB: I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, with aloes, and with cinnamon.
18 UST Come{ with me}! Let us satisfy ourselves sexually all night! Let us enjoy ourselves sexually! BSB BSB: Come, let us take our fill of love till morning. Let us delight in loving caresses!
19 UST { Come with me} because my husband is not at home. He has gone away on a long journey. BSB BSB: For my husband is not at home; he has gone on a long journey.
20 UST He filled a bag with money and took it with him. He will not return home until the middle of the month.” BSB BSB: He took with him a bag of money and will not return till the moon is full.”
21 UST { Thus} that adulterous woman persuaded the young man by speaking many persuasive things; by speaking seductively she allured him{ into doing what she wanted him to do}. BSB BSB: With her great persuasion she entices him; with her flattering lips she lures him.
22 UST He quickly followed her{ to her home}. He{ unknowingly} went to die like an ox going to the place where its owner will kill it.{ He unknowingly went to die} like a foolish person who lets others lead him by a chain to where they will punish him BSB BSB: He follows her on impulse, like an ox going to the slaughter, like a deer bounding into a trap,
23 UST until{ someone kills him by} shooting an arrow into his entrails.{ He was as foolish} as a bird flying quickly into a trap. He did not realize that going with the adulterous woman would cause him to die. BSB BSB: until an arrow pierces his liver, like a bird darting into a snare—not knowing it will cost him his life.
24 UST So now, children, listen to what I say! Carefully pay attention to what I have spoken to you! BSB BSB: Now, my sons, listen to me, and attend to the words of my mouth.
25 UST Do not desire to be with any adulterous woman. Indeed, never go with one of them! BSB BSB: Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways; do not stray into her paths.
26 UST { Do not do so} because they have ruined the lives of many men. It would be difficult to count all of the men that they have caused to die! BSB BSB: For she has brought many down to death; her slain are many in number.
27 UST { Going to} an adulterous woman’ s house is like choosing to become a dead person. Those who enter her bedroom will die as a result. 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.