| 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. |
