1 M y son, keep my words, and hold together my teachings within you.

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

3 T ie them upon your fingers. Write them upon your heart.

4 S ay to wisdom, “You are my sister.” Call understanding your special friend.

5 T hey will keep you from the strange woman, from the stranger with her smooth words.

6 F or I looked out through the wood-work at the window of my house.

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

8 H e passed through the street near her corner and took the path to her house,

9 i n the light of the evening, after it was dark.

10 S ee, 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 is loud and has a strong self-will. Her feet do not stay at home.

12 S he 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 catches him and kisses him. With a hard face she says to him,

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

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

17 I have perfumed my bed with fine perfumes and spices.

18 C ome, 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 trip.

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

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

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

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

24 S o, 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 turn aside into her paths.

26 F or she has hurt many and destroyed many others. She has killed a great number.

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