Proverbs 7
The Talk Of a Sinful Woman
1My son, keep my words, and hold together my teachings within you.
2Keep my words and live. Keep my teachings as you would your own eye.
3Tie them upon your fingers. Write them upon your heart.
4Say to wisdom, 'You are my sister.' Call understanding your special friend.
5They will keep you from the strange woman, from the stranger with her smooth words.
6For I looked out through the wood at the window of my house.
7And I saw among the childlike and among the young people a young man without wisdom and understanding.
8He passed through the street near her corner and took the path to her house,
9in the light of the evening, after it was dark.
10See, a woman comes to meet him. She is dressed like a woman who sells the use of her body, and with a heart that wants to fool and trap someone.
11She is loud and has a strong selfwill. Her feet do not stay at home.
12She is now in the street, now in the center of town where people gather. She lies in wait at every corner.
13So she catches him and kisses him. With a hard face she says to him,
14'It was time for me to give gifts on the altar in worship, and today I have paid what I promised.
15So I have come out to meet you, to look for you, and I have found you.
16I have spread my bed with coverings of linen cloth from Egypt.
17I have perfumed my bed with fine perfumes and spices.
18Come, let us take our fill of love until morning. Let us make ourselves happy with love.
19For my husband is not at home. He has gone on a long trip.
20He has taken a bag of money with him, and he will come home at full moon.'
21She leads him away with her tempting talk. She tempts him with the smooth words of her lips.
22All at once he follows her, like a bull going to be killed, like a wild animal goes into a trap,
23until an arrow cuts through him. Like a bird that hurries into the net, he does not know that he will lose his life.
24So, my sons, listen to me. Listen to the words of my mouth.
25Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways. Do not turn aside into her paths.
26For she has hurt many and destroyed many others. She has killed a great number.
27Her house is the way to hell, going down to the rooms of death.
Proverbs 8
Praising Wisdom
1Does not wisdom call? Does not understanding raise her voice?
2She takes her stand on the top of the hill beside the way, where the paths meet.
3Beside the gates in front of the town, at the open doors, she cries out,
4'I call to you, O men. My voice is to the sons of men.
5O childlike ones, learn to use wisdom. O fools, make your mind understand.
6Listen, for I will speak great things. What is right will come from my lips.
7For my mouth will speak the truth. My lips hate wrong.
8All the words of my mouth are right and good. There is nothing in them that is against the truth.
9They are all clear to him who understands, and right to those who find much learning.
10Take my teaching instead of silver. Take much learning instead of fine gold.
11For wisdom is better than stones of great worth. All that you may desire cannot compare with her.
12'I, wisdom, live with understanding, and I find much learning and careful thinking.
13The fear of the Lord is to hate what is sinful. I hate pride, self, the way of sin, and lies.
14I have teaching and wisdom. I have understanding and power.
15By me kings rule and rulers make laws that are fair.
16By me rulers rule, and all the princes rule on the earth.
17I love those who love me, and those who look for me with much desire will find me.
18Riches and honor are mine, lasting riches and being right with God.
19My fruit is better than gold, even pure gold. What I give is better than fine silver.
20I walk in the way that is right with God, in the center of the ways that are fair.
21I give riches to those who love me, and fill their store.
22'The Lord made me at the beginning of His work, before His first works long ago.
23I was set apart long ago, from the beginning, before the earth was.
24I was born when there were no seas, when there were no pools full of water.
25I was born before the mountains and hills were in their places.
26It was before He had made the earth or the fields, or the first dust of the world.
27I was there when He made the heavens, and when He drew a mark around the top of the sea.
28I was there when He put the skies above, and when He put the wells of the waters in their place.
29I was there when He marked out the places for the sea, so that the waters would not go farther than what He said. I was there when He marked out the ground for the earth.
30I was beside Him as the leading workman. I was His joy every day. I was always happy when I was near Him.
31I was happy in the world, His earth, and found joy in the sons of men.
32'So now, O sons, listen to me, for happy are they who keep my ways.
33Hear my teaching and be wise. Do not turn away from it.
34Happy is the man who listens to me, watching every day at my gates, waiting beside my doors.
35For he who finds me finds life, and gets favor from the Lord.
36But he who misses me hurts himself. All those who hate me love death.'
Proverbs 9
Wisdom - Or The Way To Hell
1Wisdom has built her house. She has made seven pillars to hold it up.
2She has cooked her food, and has mixed her wine, and she has set her table.
3She has sent out the young women who work for her. She calls from the highest places of the city,
4'Whoever is easy to fool, let him turn in here!' She says to the one without understanding,
5'Come and eat my food, and drink the wine I have mixed.
6Turn from your foolish way, and live. Walk in the way of understanding.'
7He who speaks strong words to the man who laughs at the truth brings shame upon himself. He who speaks strong words to a sinful man gets hurt.
8Do not speak strong words to a man who laughs at the truth, or he will hate you. Speak strong words to a wise man, and he will love you.
9Give teaching to a wise man and he will be even wiser. Teach a man who is right and good, and he will grow in learning.
10The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. To learn about the Holy One is understanding.
11For by me your days will grow in number, and years will be added to your life.
12If you are wise, your wisdom is a help to you. If you laugh at the truth, you alone will suffer for it.
13A foolish woman makes much noise. She is open to sin, and knows nothing.
14She sits at the door of her house or on a seat in the high places of the city.
15She calls to those who pass by and are making their paths straight,
16'Whoever is easy to fool, let him turn in here!' She says to the one without understanding,
17'Stolen water is sweet. And bread eaten in secret is pleasing.'
18But he does not know that the dead are there, and that the ones who visit her are in the bottom of hell.
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