1 M y son, keep my words, and lay up my commandments with thee.

My son, keep my words, And treasure my commands within you.

2 K eep my commandments, and live; and my law as the apple of thine eye.

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

3 B ind them upon thy fingers, write them upon the table of thine heart.

Bind them on your fingers; Write them on the tablet of your heart.

4 S ay unto wisdom, Thou art my sister; and call understanding thy kinswoman:

Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,” And call understanding your nearest kin,

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

That they may keep you from the immoral woman, From the seductress who flatters with her words. The Crafty Harlot

6 F or at the window of my house I looked through my casement,

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

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

And saw among the simple, I perceived among the youths, A young man devoid of understanding,

8 p assing through the street near her corner; and he went the way to her house,

Passing along the street near her corner; And he took the path to her house

9 i n the twilight, in the evening, in the black and dark night:

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

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

And there a woman met him, With the attire of a harlot, and a crafty heart.

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

She was loud and rebellious, Her feet would not stay at home.

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

At times she was outside, at times in the open square, Lurking at every corner.

13 S o she caught him, and kissed him, and with an impudent face said unto him,

So she caught him and kissed him; With an impudent face she said to him:

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

“ I have peace offerings with me; Today I have paid my vows.

15 T herefore came I forth to meet thee, diligently to seek thy face, and I have found thee.

So I came out to meet you, Diligently to seek your face, And I have found you.

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

I have spread my bed with tapestry, Colored coverings of Egyptian linen.

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

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

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

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

19 F or the goodman is not at home, he is gone a long journey:

For my husband is not at home; He has gone on a long journey;

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

He has taken a bag of money with him, And will come home on the appointed day.”

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

With her enticing speech she caused him to yield, With her flattering lips she seduced him.

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

Immediately he went after her, as an ox goes to the slaughter, Or as a fool to the correction of the stocks,

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

Till an arrow struck his liver. As a bird hastens to the snare, He did not know it would cost his life.

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

Now therefore, listen to me, my children; Pay attention to the words of my mouth:

25 L et not thine heart decline to her ways, go not astray in her paths.

Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways, Do not stray into her paths;

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

For she has cast down many wounded, And all who were slain by her were strong men.

27 H er house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death.

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