1 M y son! keep my sayings, And my commands lay up with thee.

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

2 K eep my commands, and live, And my law as the pupil of thine eye.

Keep my commands and live, And my law as the apple of your eye.

3 B ind them on thy fingers, Write them on the tablet of thy heart.

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

4 S ay to wisdom, `My sister Thou.' And cry to understanding, `Kinswoman!'

Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,” And call understanding your nearest kin,

5 T o preserve thee from a strange woman, From a stranger who hath made smooth her sayings.

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

6 F or, at a window of my house, Through my casement I have looked out,

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

7 A nd I do see among the simple ones, I discern among the sons, A young man lacking understanding,

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

8 P assing on in the street, near her corner, And the way her house he doth step,

Passing along the street near her corner; And he took the path to her house

9 I n the twilight -- in the evening of day, In the darkness of night and blackness.

In the twilight, in the evening, In the black and dark night.

10 A nd, lo, a woman to meet him -- (A harlot's dress, and watchful of heart,

And there a woman met him, With the attire of a harlot, and a crafty heart.

11 N oisy she, and stubborn, In her house her feet rest not.

She was loud and rebellious, Her feet would not stay at home.

12 N ow in an out-place, now in broad places, And near every corner she lieth in wait) --

At times she was outside, at times in the open square, Lurking at every corner.

13 A nd she laid hold on him, and kissed him, She hath hardened her face, and saith to him,

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

14 ` Sacrifices of peace-offerings by me, To-day I have completed my vows.

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

15 T herefore I have come forth to meet thee, To seek earnestly thy face, and I find thee.

So I came out to meet you, Diligently to seek your face, And I have found you.

16 o rnamental coverings I decked my couch, Carved works -- cotton of Egypt.

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

17 I sprinkled my bed -- myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.

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

18 C ome, we are filled loves till the morning, We delight ourselves in loves.

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

19 F or the man is not in his house, He hath gone on a long journey.

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

20 A bag of money he hath taken in his hand, At the day of the new moon he cometh to his house.'

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

21 S he turneth him aside with the abundance of her speech, With the flattery of her lips she forceth him.

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

22 H e is going after her straightway, As an ox unto the slaughter he cometh, And as a fetter unto the chastisement of a fool,

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

23 T ill an arrow doth split his liver, As a bird hath hastened unto a snare, And hath not known that it for its life.

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

24 A nd now, ye sons, hearken to me, And give attention to sayings of my mouth.

Now therefore, listen to me, my children; Pay attention to the words of my mouth:

25 L et not thy heart turn unto her ways, Do not wander in her paths,

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

26 F or many the wounded she caused to fall, And mighty all her slain ones.

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

27 T he ways of Sheol -- her house, Going down unto inner chambers of death!

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