[1] My son, keep my words, and lay up my commandments with thee. [2] Keep my commandments and live, and my law as the apple of thine eye. [3] Bind them upon thy fingers; write them upon the tablet of thine heart. [4] Say unto wisdom, "Thou art my sister," and call understanding thy kinswoman, [5] that they may keep thee from the strange woman, from the harlot who flattereth with her words. [6] For at the window of my house I looked through my casement, [7] and I beheld among the simple ones, I discerned among the youth, a young man void of understanding, [8] passing through the street near her corner; and he went the way to her house, [9] in the twilight, in the evening, in the black and dark night. [10] And behold, there met him a woman with the attire of a harlot and subtle of heart. [11] (She is loud and stubborn, her feet abide not in her house; [12] now is she outside, now in the streets and lieth in wait at every corner.) [13] So she caught him and kissed him, and with an impudent face said unto him: [14] "I have peace offerings with me; this day have I paid my vows. [15] Therefore came I forth to meet thee, diligently seeking thy face, and I have found thee. [16] I have decked my bed with coverings of tapestry, with carved works, with fine linen of Egypt. [17] I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. [18] Come, let us take our fill of love until the morning; let us solace ourselves with love. [19] For the master is not at home; he is gone on a long journey. [20] He hath taken a bag of money with him, and will come home at the day appointed." [21] With her much fair speech she caused him to yield; with the flattering of her lips she forced him. [22] He goeth after her straightway, as an ox goeth to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks, [23] until a dart strike through his liver, as a bird hasteneth to the snare and knoweth not that it is for his life. [24] Hearken unto me now, therefore, O ye children, and attend to the words of my mouth. [25] Let not thine heart decline to her ways; go not astray in her paths. [26] For she hath cast down many wounded; yea, many strong men have been slain by her. [27] Her house is the way to hell, leading down to the chambers of death.
