My son, keep
my words
, and lay up
my commandments
with thee.
Keep my commandments
, and live
; and my law
as the apple
of thine eye
.
Bind them upon thy fingers
, write
them upon the table
of thine heart
.
Say unto wisdom
, Thou art my sister
; and call
understanding
thy kinswoman
:
That they may keep thee from the strange
woman
, from the stranger
which flattereth
with her words
.
For at the window of my house
I looked
through my casement
,
And beheld among the simple ones
, I discerned
among the youths
, a young man
void
of understanding
,
Passing through the street
near
her corner
; and he went
the way
to her house
,
In the twilight, in the evening
, in the black
and dark
night
:
And, behold, there met him a woman
with the attire
of an harlot
, and subtil
of heart
.
(She is loud and stubborn
; her feet
abide
not in her house
:
Now is she without
, now
in the streets
, and lieth in wait
at
every corner
.)
So she caught him, and kissed
him, and with an impudent
face
said
unto him,
I have peace offerings
with me; this day
have I payed
my vows
.
Therefore came I forth to meet
thee, diligently to seek
thy face
, and I have found
thee.
I have decked my bed
with coverings
of tapestry, with carved
works , with fine linen
of Egypt
.
I have perfumed my bed
with myrrh
, aloes
, and cinnamon
.
Come, let us take our fill
of love
until the morning
: let us solace
ourselves with loves
.
For the goodman is not at home
, he is gone
a long
journey
:
He hath taken a bag
of money
with him
, and will come
home
at the day
appointed
.
With her much fair speech
she caused him to yield
, with the flattering
of her lips
she forced
him.
He goeth after
her straightway
, as an ox
goeth
to the slaughter
, or as a fool
to the correction
of the stocks
;
Till a dart strike
through his liver
; as a bird
hasteth
to the snare
, and knoweth
not that it is for his life
.
Hearken unto me now therefore, O ye children
, and attend
to the words
of my mouth
.
Let not thine heart decline
to her ways
, go not astray
in her paths
.
For she hath cast down many
wounded
: yea, many strong
men have been slain
by her.
Her house is the way
to hell
, going down
to the chambers
of death
.