1 M y son, keep my words; lay up within you my commandments and treasure them.

2 K eep my commandments and live, and keep my law and teaching as the apple (the pupil) of your eye.

3 B ind them on your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart.

4 S ay to skillful and godly Wisdom, You are my sister, and regard understanding or insight as your intimate friend—

5 T hat they may keep you from the loose woman, from the adventuress who flatters with and makes smooth her words.

6 F or at the window of my house I looked out through my lattice.

7 A nd among the simple (empty-headed and emptyhearted) ones, I perceived among the youths a young man void of good sense,

8 S auntering through the street near the corner; and he went the way to her house

9 I n the twilight, in the evening; night black and dense was falling.

10 A nd behold, there met him a woman, dressed as a harlot and sly and cunning of heart.

11 S he is turbulent and willful; her feet stay not in her house;

12 N ow in the streets, now in the marketplaces, she sets her ambush at every corner.

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

14 S acrifices of peace offerings were due from me; this day I paid my vows.

15 S o I came forth to meet you; diligently I sought your face, and I have found you.

16 I have spread my couch with rugs and cushions of tapestry, with striped sheets of fine linen of Egypt.

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

18 C ome, let us take our fill of love until morning; let us console and delight ourselves with love.

19 F or the man is not at home; he is gone on a long journey;

20 H e has taken a bag of money with him and will come home at the day appointed.

21 W ith much justifying and enticing argument she persuades him, with the allurements of her lips she leads him and forces him along.

22 S uddenly he follows her reluctantly like an ox moving to the slaughter, like one in fetters going to the correction to a fool or like a dog enticed by food to the muzzle

23 T ill a dart pierces and inflames his vitals; then like a bird fluttering straight into the net, not knowing that it will cost him his life.

24 L isten to me now therefore, O you sons, and be attentive to the words of my mouth.

25 L et not your heart incline toward her ways, do not stray into her paths.

26 F or she has cast down many wounded; indeed, all her slain are a mighty host.

27 H er house is the way to Sheol (Hades, the place of the dead), going down to the chambers of death.