Verse 1
My son, keep my words. Lay up my commandments within you.
Verse 2
Keep my commandments and live! Guard my teaching as the apple of your eye.
Verse 3
Bind them on your fingers. Write them on the tablet of your heart.
Verse 4
Tell wisdom, "You are my sister." Call understanding your relative,
Verse 5
that they may keep you from the strange woman, from the foreigner who flatters with her words.
Verse 6
For at the window of my house, I looked out through my lattice.
Verse 7
I saw among the simple ones. I discerned among the youths a young man void of understanding,
Verse 8
passing through the street near her corner, he went the way to her house,
Verse 9
in the twilight, in the evening of the day, in the middle of the night and in the darkness.
Verse 10
Behold, there a woman met him with the attire of a prostitute, and with crafty intent.
Verse 11
She is loud and defiant. Her feet don't stay in her house.
Verse 12
Now she is in the streets, now in the squares, and lurking at every corner.
Verse 13
So she caught him, and kissed him. With an impudent face she said to him:
Verse 14
"Sacrifices of peace offerings are with me. This day I have paid my vows.
Verse 15
Therefore I came out to meet you, to diligently seek your face, and I have found you.
Verse 16
I have spread my couch with carpets of tapestry, with striped cloths of the yarn of Egypt.
Verse 17
I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
Verse 18
Come, let's take our fill of loving until the morning. Let's solace ourselves with loving.
Verse 19
For my husband isn't at home. He has gone on a long journey.
Verse 20
He has taken a bag of money with him. He will come home at the full moon."
Verse 21
With persuasive words, she led him astray. With the flattering of her lips, she seduced him.
Verse 22
He followed her immediately, as an ox goes to the slaughter, as a fool stepping into a noose.
Verse 23
Until an arrow strikes through his liver, as a bird hurries to the snare, and doesn't know that it will cost his life.
Verse 24
Now therefore, sons, listen to me. Pay attention to the words of my mouth.
Verse 25
Don't let your heart turn to her ways. Don't go astray in her paths,
Verse 26
for she has thrown down many wounded. Yes, all her slain are a mighty army.
Verse 27
Her house is the way to Sheol, going down to the rooms of death.