Poetical pieces on various subjects/Introduction to, and a Paraphrase on Proverbs

by John Maxwell

An Introduction to a Paraphrase on Proverbs VII.

I

Whate'er is ill beneath the Sun,
Man ought with care the same to shun;
Our souls are of infinite price;
Yet lost they are if slaves to vice

II.

To let our passions o'er us sway,
Would make us wretched in our day;
The bitter sweets of vice's cup,
Would swallow every comfort up.

III

Vice thus proclaims both wide and far,
Come taste my pleasures, here they are;
But when her wiles do most invite,
We most should dread the Serpent's bite

IV

For Serpent like, Sin hath a sting,
Which does distress and trouble bring;
The venom that it does impart,
Dries up the vitals of the heart.

V

Tho' sense may say, I long to taste
The delicates at vice's feast,
We must beware, or read our fate,
The Hook's conceal'd beneath the Bait.

VI

Were sin appearing to our view,
In her own robes of blackest hue,
The mind would fill with such a dread,
We scarce could do a wicked deed

VII

But, ah! she comes in-deep disguise,
And takes her victims by surprise;
In proof of this I forward bring,
What's mention'd by a famous King.

PROVERBS, VII.

I

My son, to thee I now do cry,
let soft persuasion draw:
Like to the apple of thine eye,
keep my commands and law

II

Let them be round thy fingers girt,
observe them well with care;
And on the tablet of thine heart
imprint them deeply there

III

Drink thou at wisdom's pleasant brook;
her as a sister view;
On understanding daily look,
as kinswoman to you.

IV

That they may safely thee inclose,
from women that are strange;
And from the flatt'ring words of those
that would thy manners change.

V

For at the window of my bower,
I thro' my casement saw
A youth, sway'd by a sensual power,
regardless of the law

VI

This simple, weak, and heedless one,
his passions did induce,
With hasty steps to pass alone,
near to the harlot's house

VII

In the twilight, at evening hour,
deplorable the sight!
He mov'd towards the dreary bower;
'Twas black, and dark the night.

VIII

A woman there did meet the youth,
In fam'd robes of attire;
With subtile heart and shameless mouth,
and full of lew'd desire.

IX

Of a lew'd tongue she is possest,
being perverse in her way;
She in her house dees seldom rest,
but loves abroad to stray

X

And now she is without to meet
the youths, them to entice;
In every corner of the street,
to catch her prey she lies

XI

So she him caught, and kissed there,
and with impudent face,
(Well to secure him in her snare)
she thus did him address:

XII

I have peace-offerings with me,
My vows this day I paid,
Now all is well, my mind is free;
sweet youth be not afraid

XIII

Forth I did come, with pleasure great,
Altho' the night was drear,
To seek thy face, thee to entreat;
I'm glad to find thee here.

XIV

I decked have my bed for thee,
with tap'stry cov'rings fine,
With Egypt's linen fair to see,
whereon we may recline

XV

I also have perfum'd the same,
with cinnamon right sweet,
With myrrh, and aloes of great fame,
our joys more to compleat.

XVI

Come rest within my artful grove,
till morning light appear;
Let us solace ourselves with love,
and all our senses cheer

XVII

For the goodman (I'm glad to say)
from home does now sojourn;
And far, far distant is the day,
appointed far return

XVIII

A bag of money he did take,
and he a day did fix;
Until the time of which he spake,
his presence cannot vex

XIX

With her fair speech she him beguiles ;
he yielded to her there:
With flatt'ring lips, and harlot smiles
she forc'd him in her snare

XX

He like an ox to slaughter walks;
Her wiles him onward drave.
He like a fool went to the stocks,
correction to receive

XXI

He like a weak, and silly bird,
did hasten to the snare;
That he with sense might bed and board;
unmindful death was there

XXII

But while vice does her bliss impart
unto the simple one;
Quick thro' his liver strikes a dart,
then all his pleasure's gone.

XXIII

O children young do not defer,
attend unto the word;
Let not your hearts incline to her
That leads you from the Lord

XXIV

Go not astray; her path still shun;
keep wisdom in your view;
For numbers great she hath cast down,
and wounded many too

XXV

Not only foolish, weak, and young,
by her do scars sustain,
But men of wisdom; yea the strong
by her oft have been slain

XXVI

Her house is the straight way to woe,
the guests that with her dwell,
Down by death's chambers fast they go,
and find their way to hell.