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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

passing through the street near her corner, he went the way to her house,

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

in the twilight, in the evening of the day, in the middle of the night and in the darkness.

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.

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

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

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

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

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

13 S o she catches him and kisses him. With a hard face she says to him,

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

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

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

15 S o I have come out to meet you, to look for you, 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 coverings of linen cloth from Egypt.

I have spread my couch with carpets of tapestry, with striped cloths of the yarn of Egypt.

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

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

18 C ome, let us take our fill of love until morning. Let us make ourselves happy 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 trip.

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 he will come home at full moon.”

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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 S o, my sons, listen to me. Listen 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 turn aside into her paths.

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

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

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

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

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