rsv Proverbs:7:1-24 SEEK
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My son ,
keep my words and treasure up my commandments with you ;
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keep my commandments and live ,
keep my teachings as the apple of your eye ;
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bind them on your fingers ,
write them on the tablet of your heart .
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Say to wisdom , "
You are my sister ,"
and call insight your intimate friend ;
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to preserve you from the loose woman ,
from the adventuress with her smooth words .
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For at the window of my house I have looked out through my lattice ,
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and I have seen among the simple ,
I have perceived among the youths ,
a young man without sense ,
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passing along the street near her corner ,
taking the road to her house
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in the twilight ,
in the evening ,
at the time of night and darkness .
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And lo ,
a woman meets him ,
dressed as a harlot ,
wily of heart .
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She is loud and wayward ,
her feet do not stay at home ;
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now in the street ,
now in the market ,
and at every corner she lies in wait .
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She seizes him and kisses him ,
and with impudent face she says to him :
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I had to offer sacrifices ,
and today I have paid my vows ;
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so now I have come out to meet you ,
to seek you eagerly ,
and I have found you .
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I have decked my couch with coverings ,
colored spreads of Egyptian linen ;
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I have perfumed my bed with myrrh ,
aloes ,
and cinnamon .
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Come ,
let us take our fill of love till morning ;
let us delight ourselves with love .
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For my husband is not at home ;
he has gone on a long journey ;
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he took a bag of money with him ;
at full moon he will come home ."
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With much seductive speech she persuades him ;
with her smooth talk she compels him .
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All at once he follows her ,
as an ox goes to the slaughter ,
or as a stag is caught fast
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till an arrow pierces its entrails ;
as a bird rushes into a snare ;
he does not know that it will cost him his life .
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And now ,
O sons ,
listen to me ,
and be attentive to the words of my mouth .