1My son, keep my words, and store up my commandments with you.
2Keep my commandments, and live. Guard my teaching as you guard the pupil of your eye.
3Tie them on your fingers. Write them on the tablet of your heart.
4Say to wisdom, "You are my sister," and call understanding your close relative.
5Then they will keep you from the strange woman, from the stranger who flatters with her words.
6For at the window of my house I looked out through my lattice,
7and I saw among the simple ones. I noticed among the young men a youth who had no understanding.
8He passed along the street near her corner, and he took the road to her house,
9in the twilight, in the evening, in the black and dark night.
10Look, a woman came to meet him, dressed like a prostitute, and crafty in heart.
11(She is loud and stubborn. Her feet do not stay at home.
12Now she is outside, now in the streets, and she lies in wait at every corner.)
13So she caught hold of him and kissed him, and with a bold face she said to him,
14"I have peace offerings with me. Today I have paid my vows."
15"So I came out to meet you, to look for your face, and I have found you."
16"I have spread 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 delight ourselves with love."
19"For the man of the house is not at home. He has gone on a long journey."
20"He has taken a bag of money with him, and he will come home on the day he set."
21With her many smooth words she made him give in. With the flattery of her lips she drew him along.
22He goes after her at once, as an ox goes to the slaughter, or as a fool goes to be punished in the stocks,
23until an arrow strikes through his liver. He is like a bird rushing into the trap, and he does not know that it will cost him his life.
24So listen to me now, my children, and pay attention to the words of my mouth.
25Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways. Do not wander into her paths.
26For she has struck down many wounded. Yes, many strong men have been killed by her.
27Her house is the way to hell, going down to the rooms of death.