1 M y son, keep my words. Lay up my commandments within you.

My son, keep my words And treasure my commandments within you.

2 K eep my commandments and live! Guard my teaching as the apple of your eye.

Keep my commandments and live, And 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 T ell wisdom, “You are my sister.” Call understanding your relative,

Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,” And call understanding your intimate friend;

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

That they may keep you from an adulteress, From the foreigner who flatters with her words.

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

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

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

And I saw among the naive, And discerned among the youths A young man lacking sense,

8 p assing through the street near her corner, he went the way to her house,

Passing through the street near her corner; And he takes the way to her house,

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

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

10 B ehold, there a woman met him with the attire of a prostitute, and with crafty intent.

And behold, a woman comes to meet him, Dressed as a harlot and cunning of heart.

11 S he is loud and defiant. Her feet don’t stay in her house.

She is boisterous and rebellious, Her feet do not remain at home;

12 N ow she is in the streets, now in the squares, and lurking at every corner.

She is now in the streets, now in the squares, And lurks by every corner.

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

So she seizes him and kisses him And with a brazen face she says to him:

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

“ I was due to offer peace offerings; Today I have paid my vows.

15 T herefore I came out to meet you, to diligently seek your face, and I have found you.

“Therefore I have come out to meet you, To seek your presence earnestly, and I have found you.

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

“I have spread my couch with coverings, With colored linens of Egypt.

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

“I have sprinkled my bed With myrrh, aloes and cinnamon.

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

“Come, let us drink our fill of love until morning; Let us delight ourselves with caresses.

19 F or my husband isn’t at home. He has gone on a long journey.

“For my husband is not at home, He has gone on a long journey;

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

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

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

With her many persuasions she entices him; With her flattering lips she seduces him.

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

Suddenly he follows her As an ox goes to the slaughter, Or as one in fetters to the discipline of a fool,

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

Until an arrow pierces through his liver; As a bird hastens to the snare, So he does not know that it will cost him his life.

24 N ow therefore, sons, listen to me. Pay attention to the words of my mouth.

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

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

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

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

For many are the victims she has cast down, And numerous are all her slain.

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

Her house is the way to Sheol, Descending to the chambers of death.