Proverbs 7 Good News Translation (GNT)
7 My child, remember what I say and never forget what I tell you to
do. 2 Do what I say, and you will live. Be as careful to follow
my teaching as you are to protect your eyes. 3 Keep my teaching
with you all the time; write it on your heart. 4 Treat wisdom
as your sister, and insight as your closest friend. 5 They will
keep you away from other men's wives, from women with seductive words.
The Immoral Woman
6 Once I was looking out the
window of my house, 7 and I saw many inexperienced young men,
but noticed one foolish fellow in particular. 8 He was walking
along the street near the corner where a certain woman lived. He was passing
near her house 9 in the evening after it was dark. 10 And
then she met him; she was dressed like a prostitute and was making plans. 11 She
was a bold and shameless woman who always walked the streets 12 or
stood waiting at a corner, sometimes in the streets, sometimes in the
marketplace. 13 She threw her arms around the young man, kissed
him, looked him straight in the eye, and said, 14 “I made my
offerings today and have the meat from the sacrifices. 15 So I
came out looking for you. I wanted to find you, and here you are! 16 I've
covered my bed with sheets of colored linen from Egypt. 17 I've
perfumed it with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. 18 Come on! Let's
make love all night long. We'll be happy in each other's arms. 19 My
husband isn't at home. He's on a long trip. 20 He took plenty
of money with him and won't be back for two weeks.” 21 So she
tempted him with her charms, and he gave in to her smooth talk. 22 Suddenly
he was going with her like an ox on the way to be slaughtered, like a deer
prancing into a trap[a] 23 where
an arrow would pierce its heart. He was like a bird going into a net—he did not
know that his life was in danger.
24 Now then, sons, listen to me. Pay attention to what I
say. 25 Do not let such a woman win your heart; don't go
wandering after her. 26 She has been the ruin of many men and
caused the death of too many to count. 27 If you go to her
house, you are on the way to the world of the dead. It is a shortcut to death.