Proverbs 7

EasyEnglish Bible

More danger!^[a]

7 My child, remember what I say. Keep my commands in your mind.

² Obey my commands, so that you live well. Keep my teaching safe. It is as valuable as your own eyes. ³ Keep it always in front of you. Think about my message all the time, as if you have written it on your heart.

⁴ Love wisdom in the same way that you love your sister. Be very careful to understand what is right. ⁵ If you do that, it will keep you safe from sin. You will not agree to sleep with an adulteress or a prostitute when she speaks sweet words to you.

The adulteress^[b]

⁶ Once I was looking out through the window of my house. ⁷ I saw a group of silly young men. One of them was not wise at all. ⁸ He was walking along the street near the house of a bad woman. ⁹ It was in the evening after it had become dark. ¹⁰ Then the woman came out to meet him! She was wearing the clothes of a prostitute. She knew what she wanted to do.

¹¹ This was a woman who did not respect anyone. She was not ashamed of the bad things that she did. She never stayed at her home. ¹² Instead she would stand in the streets and in the market place. She would wait at the corners of the streets to find a man.

¹³ Now she took hold of the young man and she kissed him. She looked into his eyes without any shame. ¹⁴ She said to him, ‘I offered a sacrifice to God today and I have the meat at my home. ¹⁵ That is why I came out to meet you. I was looking for you, and now I have found you!

¹⁶ I have covered my bed with beautiful blankets and with valuable cloths from Egypt. ¹⁷ I have splashed many kinds of perfume on my bed, like myrrh, aloes and cinnamon. ¹⁸ So come and join me for the night. We can lie in each other's arms. All night, we can enjoy as much sex as we like. ¹⁹ My husband is not at home. He has gone away on a long journey. ²⁰ He took a big bag of money with him. He will not come back until later this month.’

²¹ With those sweet words she deceived the young man. She made him want to be with her. ²² Suddenly he hurried to follow her! He went like an ox that men are leading to its death. He went like a deer that is running towards a trap. ²³ Then an arrow will go straight into its body and kill it! The young man was like a bird that is flying into a trap. He did not know that his life was in danger.

²⁴ So listen to me, my sons. Listen carefully to what I am saying. ²⁵ Do not let that kind of woman spoil your mind. Do not let her lead you away from what is right. ²⁶ She has caused many men to fall. Because of her, too many men have thrown away their lives.

²⁷ If you go to her house, you are on the road to death. You will soon be in your grave.