My son, agive
attention
to my wisdom
, bIncline
your ear
to my understanding
;
That you may aobserve discretion
And your blips
may reserve
knowledge
.
For the lips of an 1 aadulteress
bdrip
honey
And csmoother
than
oil
is her 2speech
;
But in the end she is abitter
as wormwood
, bSharp
as a two-edged
sword
.
Her feet ago
down
to death
, Her steps
take
hold
of Sheol
.
1She does not ponder the apath
of life
; Her ways
are bunstable
, she cdoes not know
it.
aNow then, my sons
, listen
to me And bdo not depart
from the words
of my mouth
.
aKeep your way
far
from her And do not go
near
the bdoor
of her house
,
Or you will give
your vigor
to others
And your years
to the cruel
one
;
And strangers will be filled
with your strength
And your hard-earned
goods
will go to the house
of an alien
;
And you groan at your 1final
end
, When your flesh
and your body
are consumed
;
And you say, "How
I have ahated
instruction
! And my heart
bspurned
reproof
!
"I have not listened to the voice
of my ateachers
, Nor
inclined
my ear
to my instructors
!
"I was almost in utter
ruin
In the midst
of the assembly
and congregation
."
Drink water
from your own cistern
And 1fresh
water
from your own well
.
Should your asprings be dispersed
abroad
, Streams
of water
in the streets
?
Let them be yours alone And not for strangers
with you.
Let your afountain be blessed
, And brejoice
in the cwife
of your youth
.
As a loving ahind
and a graceful
doe
, Let her breasts
satisfy
you at all
times
; Be 1exhilarated
always
with her love
.
For why should you, my son
, be exhilarated
with an 1 aadulteress
And embrace
the bosom
of a bforeigner
?
For the aways of a man
are before
the eyes
of the LORD
, And He bwatches
all
his paths
.
His aown iniquities will capture
the wicked
, And he will be held
with the cords
of his sin
.
He will adie for lack
of instruction
, And in the greatness
of his folly
he will go
astray
.