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7:1  My son, live according to what I am telling you; guard my instructions as you would a treasure deep within you.
7:2  Stay true to my directives, and they will serve you well; make my teachings the lens through which you see life.
7:3  Bind cords around your fingers to remind you of them; meditate on them, and you’ll engrave them upon your heart.
7:4  Say to Lady Wisdom, “My sister”; recognize that understanding is your best friend,
7:5  And they will keep you from the arms of another woman— protect you from the enchantress who entices men into her bed.
7:6  One day I was at the window of my house, looking out through my lattice shutters,
7:7  And there among the usual crowd of the gullible people I spotted a naive young man.
7:8  He was going down the street near the corner where she lived—that mysterious and evil woman— taking the road that led directly to her house.
7:9  At the end of the day, as night approached and darkness crept in,
7:10  I saw her! A woman came out to meet him. She was dressed for temptation and devious with her affections.
7:11  Here’s what I know about her: she is loud and obnoxious, a rebel against what is proper and decent. She’s always on the move—anxious to get out of the house and
7:12  Down the street; at times in the open, at others lurking around every corner.
7:13  As I am watching them, she grabs him and kisses him, then shamelessly tells him:
7:14  The Immoral Woman: It was my turn to offer a peace offering, and today I paid my vows,
7:15  So now I come to see you. I really want to be with you, and what luck! I have found you!
7:16  You’ll be impressed. I have decorated my couch, laid colorful Egyptian linens over where we will be together,
7:17  And perfumed the bed with exotic oils and herbs: myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
7:18  Come in, and we will feast on love until sunrise; we will delight ourselves in our affections.
7:19  You don’t need to worry; my husband is long gone by now, away from home on a distant journey.
7:20  He took a bag of money with him, so I don’t expect him home until next month.
7:21  It worked! She enticed him with seductive words, seduced him with her smooth talk.
7:22  Right away he followed her home. He followed her like a bull being led to the slaughter, Like a fool caught in a trap
7:23  (that is, until an arrow punctures his liver), Like a bird flying straight into a net. He had no clue his life was at stake; everything was about to change.
7:24  This is why it is so important that you listen to me, my sons, and pay attention to all I am telling you.
7:25  Do not let your mind wonder about her ways; do not lose yourself and drift down her path,
7:26  For she’s claimed one life after another, victim after victim, too many to count.
7:27  Her house is the gateway to the grave; every step toward her is a step toward death’s dark chamber.