1

My son, keep my words and store up my commandments with you.

My son, keep my words, and lay up my commandments with thee.

2

Keep my commandments and live, and my law as the apple of your eye.

Keep my commandments, and live; and my law as the apple of thine eye.

3

Bind them on your fingers, write them on the tablet of your heart.

Bind them upon thy fingers, write them upon the table of thine heart.

4

Say to wisdom, You are my sister, and call understanding your kinswoman.

Say unto wisdom, Thou art my sister; and call understanding thy kinswoman:

5

That they may keep you from the strange woman, from the stranger who flatters with her words.

That they may keep thee from the strange woman, from the stranger which flattereth with her words.

6

For at the window of my house I looked through my lattice,

For at the window of my house I looked through my casement,

7

And saw among the simple ones, I discerned among the youths, a young man lacking understanding,

And beheld among the simple ones, I discerned among the youths, a young man void of understanding,

8

Passing through the street near her corner, and he went the way to her house,

Passing through the street near her corner; and he went the way to her house,

9

In the twilight, in the evening, in the black and dark night;

In the twilight, in the evening, in the black and dark night:

10

And it happened, there met him a woman with the attire of a harlot, and subtle of heart.

And, behold, there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot, and subtil of heart.

11

She is loud and stubborn; her feet do not stay at home:

She is loud and stubborn; her feet abide not in her house:

12

Sometimes she is outside, now in the streets, and lies in wait at every corner.

Now is she without, now in the streets, and lieth in wait at every corner.)

13

So she caught him and kissed him, and with an impudent face said to him,

So she caught him, and kissed him, and with an impudent face said unto him,

14

I have peace offerings with me; today I have paid my vows.

I have peace offerings with me; this day have I payed my vows.

15

So I came out to meet you, diligently to seek your face, and I have found you.

Therefore came I forth to meet thee, diligently to seek thy face, and I have found thee.

16

I have decked my bed with coverings of tapestry, with carved works, with fine linen of Egypt.

I have decked my bed with coverings of tapestry, with carved works, with fine linen of Egypt.

17

I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.

I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.

18

Come, let us take our fill of love until the morning; let us delight ourselves with love.

Come, let us take our fill of love until the morning: let us solace ourselves with loves.

19

For the man is not at home; he has gone on a long journey;

For the goodman is not at home, he is gone a long journey:

20

He has taken a bag of money with him, and will come home at the appointed day.

He hath taken a bag of money with him, and will come home at the day appointed.

21

With her much fair speech she caused him to yield; with the flattering of her lips she prevailed over him.

With her much fair speech she caused him to yield, with the flattering of her lips she forced him.

22

He goes after her immediately, as an ox goes to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks;

He goeth after her straightway, as an ox goeth to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks;

23

Until a dart strikes through his liver; as a bird hastes to the snare, and does not know that it is for his life.

Till a dart strike through his liver; as a bird hasteth to the snare, and knoweth not that it is for his life.

24

Therefore listen to me now, O children, and attend to the words of my mouth.

Hearken unto me now therefore, O ye children, and attend to the words of my mouth.

25

Let not your heart incline to her ways, do not stray in her paths.

Let not thine heart decline to her ways, go not astray in her paths.

26

For she has cast down many wounded; indeed, many strong men have been slain by her.

For she hath cast down many wounded: yea, many strong men have been slain by her.

27

Her house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death.

Her house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death.