1
My son[H1121], keep[H8104] my words[H561], and lay up[H6845] my commandments[H4687] with thee.
2Keep[H8104] my commandments[H4687], and live[H2421]; and my law[H8451] as the apple[H380] of thine eye[H5869].
3Bind[H7194] them upon thy fingers[H676], write[H3789] them upon the table[H3871] of thine heart[H3820].
4Say[H559] unto wisdom[H2451], Thou art my sister[H269]; and call[H7121]understanding[H998] thy kinswoman[H4129]:
5
That they may keep[H8104] thee from the strange[H2114]woman[H802], from the stranger[H5237] which flattereth[H2505] with her words[H561].
6
For at the window[H2474] of my house[H1004] I looked[H8259] through my casement[H822],
7
And beheld[H7200] among the simple ones[H6612], I discerned[H995] among the youths[H1121], a young man[H5288]void[H2638] of understanding[H3820],
8
Passing through[H5674] the street[H7784]near[H681] her corner[H6434]; and he went[H6805] the way[H1870] to her house[H1004],
9
In the twilight[H5399], in the evening[H3117], in the black[H380] and dark[H653]night[H3915]:
10
And, behold, there met[H7125] him a woman[H802] with the attire[H7897] of an harlot[H2181], and subtil[H5341] of heart[H3820].
11
(She is loud[H1993] and stubborn[H5637]; her feet[H7272]abide[H7931] not in her house[H1004]:
12Now[H6471] is she without[H2351], now[H6471] in the streets[H7339], and lieth in wait[H693]at[H681] every corner[H6438].)
13
So she caught[H2388] him, and kissed[H5401] him, and with an impudent[H5810]face[H6440]said[H559] unto him,
14
I have peace[H8002]offerings[H2077] with me; this day[H3117] have I payed[H7999] my vows[H5088].
15
Therefore came I forth[H3318] to meet[H7125] thee, diligently to seek[H7836] thy face[H6440], and I have found[H4672] thee.
16
I have decked[H7234] my bed[H6210] with coverings[H4765] of tapestry, with carved[H2405] works, with fine linen[H330] of Egypt[H4714].
17
I have perfumed[H5130] my bed[H4904] with myrrh[H4753], aloes[H174], and cinnamon[H7076].
18Come[H3212], let us take our fill[H7301] of love[H1730] until the morning[H1242]: let us solace[H5965] ourselves with loves[H159].
19
For the goodman[H376] is not at home[H1004], he is gone[H1980] a long[H7350]journey[H1870]:
20
He hath taken[H3947] a bag[H6872] of money[H3701] with him[H3027], and will come[H935]home[H1004] at the day[H3117]appointed[H3677].
21
With her much[H7230] fair speech[H3948] she caused him to yield[H5186], with the flattering[H2506] of her lips[H8193] she forced[H5080] him.
22
He goeth[H1980]after[H310] her straightway[H6597], as an ox[H7794]goeth[H935] to the slaughter[H2874], or as a fool[H191] to the correction[H4148] of the stocks[H5914];
23
Till a dart[H2671]strike[H6398] through his liver[H3516]; as a bird[H6833]hasteth[H4116] to the snare[H6341], and knoweth[H3045] not that it is for his life[H5315].
24Hearken[H8085] unto me now therefore, O ye children[H1121], and attend[H7181] to the words[H561] of my mouth[H6310].
25
Let not thine heart[H3820]decline[H7847] to her ways[H1870], go not astray[H8582] in her paths[H5410].
26
For she hath cast down[H5307]many[H7227]wounded[H2491]: yea, many[H7227]strong[H6099] men have been slain[H2026] by her.
27
Her house[H1004] is the way[H1870] to hell[H7585], going down[H3381] to the chambers[H2315] of death[H4194].