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| [1]My son, keep my words, and hide with thee my commandments. My son, honour the Lord, and thou shalt be strong; and fear none but him: |
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| [2]keep my commandments, and thou shalt live; and keep my words as the pupils of thine eyes. |
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| [3]And bind them on thy fingers, and write them on the table of thine heart. |
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| [4]Say that wisdom is thy sister, and gain prudence as an acquaintance for thyself; |
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| [5]that she may keep thee from the strange and wicked woman, if she should assail thee with flattering words. |
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| [6]For she looks from a window out of her house into the streets, at one whom she may see of the senseless ones, a young man void of understanding, |
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| [7]passing by the corner in the passages near her house, |
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| [8]and speaking, in the dark of the evening, |
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| [9]when there happens to be the stillness of night and of darkness: |
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| [10]and the woman meets him having the appearance of a harlot, that causes the hearts of young men to flutter. |
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| [11]And she is fickle, and debauched, and her feet abide not at home. |
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| [12]For at one time she wanders without, and at another time she lies in wait in the streets, at every corner. |
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| [13]Then she caught him, and kissed him, and with an impudent face said to him, |
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| [14]I have a peace-offering; today I pay my vows: |
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| [15]therefore I came forth to meet thee, desiring thy face; and I have found thee. |
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| [16]I have spread my bed with sheets, and I have covered it with double tapestry from Egypt. |
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| [17]I have sprinkled my couch with saffron, and my house with cinnamon. |
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| [18]Come, and let us enjoy love until the morning; come, and let us embrace in love. |
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| [19]For my husband is not at home, but is gone on a long journey, |
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| [20]having taken in his hand a bundle of money: after many days he will return to his house. |
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| [21]So with much converse she prevailed on him to go astray, and with the snares of her lips forced him from the right path. |
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| [22]And he followed her, being gently led on, and that as an ox is led to the slaughter, and as a dog to bonds, or as a hart shot in the liver with an arrow: |
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| [23]and he hastens as a bird into a snare, not knowing that he is running for his life. |
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| [24]Now then, my son, hearken to me, and attend to the words of my mouth. |
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| [25]Let not thine heart turn aside to her ways: |
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| [26]for she has wounded and cast down many, and those whom she has slain are innumerable. |
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| [27]Her house is the way of hell, leading down to the chambers of death. |
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