1 M y son, keep my words, And treasure my commands within you.

My son, keep my words, and hold together my teachings within you.

2 K eep my commands and live, And my law as the apple of your eye.

Keep my words and live. Keep my teachings as you would your own eye.

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

Tie them upon your fingers. Write them upon your heart.

4 S ay to wisdom, “You are my sister,” And call understanding your nearest kin,

Say to wisdom, “You are my sister.” Call understanding your special friend.

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

They will keep you from the strange woman, from the stranger with her smooth words.

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

For I looked out through the wood-work at the window of my house.

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

And I saw among the child-like and among the young people a young man without wisdom and understanding.

8 P assing along the street near her corner; And he took the path to her house

He passed through the street near her corner and took the path to her house,

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

in the light of the evening, after it was dark.

10 A nd there a woman met him, With the attire of a harlot, and a crafty heart.

See, a woman comes to meet him. She is dressed like a woman who sells the use of her body, and with a heart that wants to fool and trap someone.

11 S he was loud and rebellious, Her feet would not stay at home.

She is loud and has a strong self-will. Her feet do not stay at home.

12 A t times she was outside, at times in the open square, Lurking at every corner.

She is now in the street, now in the center of town where people gather. She lies in wait at every corner.

13 S o she caught him and kissed him; With an impudent face she said to him:

So she catches him and kisses him. With a hard face she says to him,

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

“It was time for me to give gifts on the altar in worship, and today I have paid what I promised.

15 S o I came out to meet you, Diligently to seek your face, And I have found you.

So I have come out to meet you, to look for you, and I have found you.

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

I have spread my bed with coverings of linen cloth from Egypt.

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

I have perfumed my bed with fine perfumes and spices.

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

Come, let us take our fill of love until morning. Let us make ourselves happy with love.

19 F or my husband is not at home; He has gone on a long journey;

For my husband is not at home. He has gone on a long trip.

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

He has taken a bag of money with him, and he will come home at full moon.”

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

She leads him away with her tempting talk. She tempts him with the smooth words of her lips.

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

All at once he follows her, like a bull going to be killed, like a wild animal goes into a trap,

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

until an arrow cuts through him. Like a bird that hurries into the net, he does not know that he will lose his life.

24 N ow therefore, listen to me, my children; Pay attention to the words of my mouth:

So, my sons, listen to me. Listen to the words of my mouth.

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

Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways. Do not turn aside into her paths.

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

For she has hurt many and destroyed many others. She has killed a great number.

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

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