7:2. Keep my commandments, and thou shalt live: and my law as the apple of thy eye:

7:3. Bind it upon thy fingers, write it upon the tables of thy heart.

7:4. Say to wisdom: Thou art my sister: and call prudence thy friend,

7:5. That she may keep thee from the woman that is not thine, and from the stranger who sweeteneth her words.

7:6. For I looked out of the window of my house through the lattice,

7:7. And I see little ones, I behold a foolish young man,

7:8. Who pa.s.seth through the street by the corner, and goeth nigh the way of her house,

7:9. In the dark when it grows late, in the darkness and obscurity of the night.

7:10. And behold a woman meeteth him in harlot's attire, prepared to deceive souls: talkative and wandering,

7:11. Not bearing to be quiet, not able to abide still at home,

7:12. Now abroad, now in the streets, now lying in wait near the corners.

7:13. And catching the young man, she kisseth him, and with an impudent face, flattereth, saying:

7:14. I vowed victims for prosperity, this day I have paid my vows.

7:15. Therefore I am come out to meet thee, desirous to see thee, and I have found thee.

7:16. I have woven my bed with cords, I have covered it with painted tapestry, brought from Egypt.

7:17. I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.

7:18. Come, let us be inebriated with the b.r.e.a.s.t.s, and let us enjoy the desired embraces, till the day appear.

7:19. For my husband is not at home, he is gone a very long journey.

7:20. He took with him a bag of money: he will return home the day of the full moon.

7:21. She entangled him with many words, and drew him away with the flattery of her lips.

7:22. Immediately he followeth her as an ox led to be a victim, and as a lamb playing the wanton, and not knowing that he is drawn like a fool to bonds,

7:23. Till the arrow pierce his liver: as if a bird should make haste to the snare, and knoweth not that his life is in danger.

7:24. Now, therefore, my son, hear me, and attend to the words of my mouth.

7:25. Let not thy mind be drawn away in her ways: neither be thou deceived with her paths.

7:26. For she hath cast down many wounded, and the strongest have been slain by her.

7:27. Her house is the way to h.e.l.l, reaching even to the inner chambers of death.

Proverbs Chapter 8

The preaching of wisdom. Her excellence.

8:1. Doth not wisdom cry aloud, and prudence put forth her voice?

8:2. Standing in the top of the highest places by the way, in the midst of the paths,

8:3. Beside the gates of the city, in the very doors she speaketh, saying:

8:4. O ye men, to you I call, and my voice is to the sons of men.

8:5. O little ones understand subtlety, and ye unwise, take notice.

8:6. Hear, for I will speak of great things: and my lips shall be opened to preach right things.

8:7. My mouth shall meditate truth, and my lips shall hate wickedness.

8:8. All my words are just, there is nothing wicked, nor perverse in them.

8:9. They are right to them that understand, and just to them that find knowledge.

8:10. Receive my instruction, and not money: choose knowledge rather than gold.

8:11. For wisdom is better than all the most precious things: and whatsoever may be desired cannot be compared to it.

8:12. I, wisdom, dwell in counsel, and am present in learned thoughts.

8:13. The fear of the Lord hateth evil; I hate arrogance, and pride, and every wicked way, and a mouth with a double tongue.

8:14. Counsel and equity is mine, prudence is mine, strength is mine.

8:15. By me kings reign, and lawgivers decree just things.

8:16. By me princes rule, and the mighty decree justice.

8:17. I love them that love me: and they that in the morning early watch for me, shall find me.

8:18. With me are riches and glory, glorious riches and justice.

8:19. For my fruit is better than gold and the precious stone, and my blossoms than choice silver.

8:20. I walk in the way of justice, in the midst of the paths of judgment,

8:21. That I may enrich them that love me, and may fill their treasures.

8:22. The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his ways, before he made any thing from the beginning.