| 1 My son, keep my words, and lay up my precepts with thee. Son, | |
| 2 Keep my commandments, and thou shalt live: and my law as the apple of thy eye: | |
| 3 Bind it upon thy fingers, write it upon the tables of thy heart. | |
| 4 Say to wisdom: Thou art my sister: and call prudence thy friend, | |
| 5 That she may keep thee from the woman that is not thine, and from the stranger who sweeteneth her words. | |
| 6 For I look out of the window of my house through the lattice, | |
| 7 And I see little ones, I behold a foolish young man, | |
| 8 Who passeth through the street by the corner, and goeth nigh the way of her house. | |
| 9 In the dark, when it grows late, in the darkness and obscurity of the night, | |
| 10 And behold a woman meeteth him in harlot's attire prepared to deceive souls; talkative and wandering, | |
| 11 Not bearing to be quiet, not able to abide still at home, | |
| 12 Now abroad, now in the streets, now lying in wait near the corners. | |
| 13 And catching the young man, she kisseth him, and with an impudent face, flattereth, saying: | |
| 14 I vowed victims for prosperity, this day I have paid my vows. | |
| 15 Therefore I am come out to meet thee, desirous to see thee, and I have found thee. | |
| 16 I have woven my bed with cords, I have covered it with painted tapestry, brought from Egypt. | |
| 17 I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. | |
| 18 Come, let us be inebriated with the breasts, and let us enjoy the desired embraces, till the day appear. | |
| 19 For my husband is not at home, he is gone a very long journey. | |
| 20 He took with him a bag of money: he mill return home the day of the full moon. | |
| 21 She entangled him with many words, and drew him away with the flattery of her lips. | |
| 22 Immediately he followeth her as an ox led to be a victim, and as a lamb playing the wanton, and not knowing that he is drawn like a fool to bonds, | |
| 23 Till the arrow pierce his liver: as if a bird should make haste to the snare, and knoweth not that his life is in danger. | |
| 24 Now therefore, my son, hear me, and attend to the words of my mouth. | |
| 25 Let not thy mind be drawn away in her ways: neither be thou deceived with her paths. | |
| 26 For she hath cast down many wounded, and the strongest have been slain by her. | |
| 27 Her house is the way to hell, reaching even to the inner chambers of death. | |
