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

My son, keep my words; lay up within you my commandments and treasure them.

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

Keep my commandments and live, and keep my law and teaching as the apple (the pupil) 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 skillful and godly Wisdom, You are my sister, and regard understanding or insight as your intimate friend—

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 loose woman, from the adventuress who flatters with and makes smooth her words.

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

For at the window of my house I looked out through my lattice.

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

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

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

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

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

In the twilight, in the evening; night black and dense was falling.

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

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

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

She is turbulent and willful; her feet stay not in her house;

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

Now 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 an impudent face said unto him,

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

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

Sacrifices of peace offerings were due from me; this day I 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 forth to meet you; diligently I sought 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 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.

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 console and delight ourselves with love.

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

For the man is not at home; he is 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 at the day appointed.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Let not your heart incline toward 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; indeed, all her slain are a mighty host.

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

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