Warnings about the Adulteress 1 WBS 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 WBS Keep my commandments, and live; and my law as the apple of thy eye. BSB BSB: Keep my commandments and live; guard my teachings as the apple of your eye.
3 WBS Bind them upon thy fingers, write them upon the table of thy heart. BSB BSB: Tie them to your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 WBS Say to wisdom, Thou art my sister; and call understanding thy kinswoman: BSB BSB: Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,” and call understanding your kinsman,
5 WBS That they may keep thee from the strange woman, from the stranger which flattereth with her words. BSB BSB: that they may keep you from the adulteress, from the stranger with seductive words.
6 WBS For at the window of my house I looked through my casement, BSB BSB: For at the window of my house I looked through the lattice.
7 WBS And beheld among the simple ones, I discerned among the youths, a young man void of understanding, BSB BSB: I saw among the simple, I noticed among the youths, a young man lacking judgment,
8 WBS 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 WBS In the twilight, in the evening, in the black and dark night: BSB BSB: at twilight, as the day was fading into the dark of the night.
10 WBS And behold, there met him a woman with the attire of a harlot, and subtil of heart. BSB BSB: Then a woman came out to meet him, with the attire of a harlot and cunning of heart.
11 WBS (She is loud and stubborn; her feet abide not in her house: BSB BSB: She is loud and defiant; her feet do not remain at home.
12 WBS Now is she without, now in the streets, and lieth in wait at every corner.) BSB BSB: Now in the street, now in the squares, she lurks at every corner.
13 WBS So she caught him, and kissed him, and with an impudent face said to him, BSB BSB: She seizes him and kisses him; she brazenly says to him:
14 WBS 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 WBS Therefore I came forth to meet thee, diligently to seek 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 WBS I have decked my bed with coverings of tapestry, with carved works , with fine linen of Egypt. BSB BSB: I have decked my bed with coverings, with colored linen from Egypt.
17 WBS I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. BSB BSB: I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, with aloes, and with cinnamon.
18 WBS Come, let us take our fill of love until the morning: let us solace ourselves with loves. BSB BSB: Come, let us take our fill of love till morning. Let us delight in loving caresses!
19 WBS For the good-man 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 WBS He hath taken a bag of money with him, and will come home at the day appointed. BSB BSB: He took with him a bag of money and will not return till the moon is full.”
21 WBS With her much fair speech she caused him to yield, with the flattering of her lips she impelled him. BSB BSB: With her great persuasion she entices him; with her flattering lips she lures him.
22 WBS He goeth after her quickly, as an ox goeth to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks; BSB BSB: He follows her on impulse, like an ox going to the slaughter, like a deer bounding into a trap,
23 WBS Till a dart striketh through his liver; as a bird hasteth to the snare, and knoweth not that it is for his 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 WBS Now therefore hearken to me, O ye children, 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 WBS 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 WBS For she hath cast down many wounded: yes, many strong men have been slain by her. BSB BSB: For she has brought many down to death; her slain are many in number.
27 WBS Her house is the way to hell, 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.