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

My son, keep my words. Lay up my commandments within you.

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

Keep my commandments and live! Guard my teaching as the apple of your eye.

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

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

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

Tell wisdom, “You are my sister.” Call understanding your relative,

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

that they may keep you from the strange woman, from the foreigner who flatters with her words.

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

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

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

I saw among the simple ones. I discerned among the youths a young man void of understanding,

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

passing through the street near her corner, 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 of the day, in the middle of the night and in the darkness.

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

Behold, there a woman met him with the attire of a prostitute, and with crafty intent.

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

She is loud and defiant. Her feet don’t stay in her house.

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

Now she is in the streets, now in the squares, and lurking at every corner.

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

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

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

“Sacrifices of peace offerings are with me. Today I have paid my vows.

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

Therefore I came out to meet you, to diligently seek your face, and I have found you.

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

I have spread my couch with carpets of tapestry, with striped cloths of the yarn 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 morning; Let us delight ourselves with love.

Come, let’s take our fill of loving until the morning. Let’s solace ourselves with loving.

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

For my husband isn’t at home. He has gone on a long journey.

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. He will come home at the full moon.”

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

With persuasive words, she led him astray. With the flattering of her lips, she seduced him.

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

He followed her immediately, as an ox goes to the slaughter, as a fool stepping into a noose.

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 strikes through his liver, as a bird hurries to the snare, and doesn’t know that it will cost his life.

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

Now therefore, sons, listen to me. Pay attention to the words of my mouth.

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

Don’t let your heart turn to her ways. Don’t go astray in her paths,

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

for she has thrown down many wounded. Yes, all her slain are a mighty army.

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

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