07:001

My son, keep my words, and lay up my commandments with thee

07:002

Keep my commandments and live, and my teaching as the apple of thine eye

07:003

Bind them upon thy fingers, write them upon the table of thy heart

07:004

Say unto wisdom: 'Thou art my sister', and call understanding thy kinswoman

07:005

That they may keep thee from the strange woman, from the alien woman that maketh smooth her words

07:006

For at the window of my house I looked forth through my lattice

07:007

And I beheld among the thoughtless ones, I discerned among the youths, a young man void of understanding

07:008

Passing through the street near her corner, and he went the way to her house

07:009

In the twilight, in the evening of the day, in the blackness of night and the darkness

07:010

And, behold, there met him a woman with the attire of a harlot, and wily of heart

07:011

She is riotous and rebellious, her feet abide not in her house

07:012

Now she is in the streets, now in the broad places, and lieth in wait at every corner

07:013

So she caught him, and kissed him, and with an impudent face she said unto him

07:014

'Sacrifices of peace-offerings were due from me; this day have I paid my vows

07:015

Therefore came I forth to meet thee, to seek thy face, and I have found thee

07:016

I have decked my couch with coverlets, with striped cloths of the yarn of Egypt

07:017

I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon

07:018

Come, let us take our fill of love until the morning; let us solace ourselves with loves

07:019

For my husband is not at home, he is gone a long journey

07:020

He hath taken the bag of money with him; he will come home at the full moon.

07:021

With her much fair speech she causeth him to yield, with the blandishment of her lips she enticeth him away

07:022

He goeth after her straightway, as an ox that goeth to the slaughter, or as one in fetters to the correction of the fool

07:023

Till an arrow strike through his liver; as a bird hasteneth to the snare

07:024

Now therefore, O ye children, hearken unto me, and attend to the words of my mouth

07:025

Let not thy heart decline to her ways, go not astray in her paths

07:026

For she hath cast down many wounded; yea, a mighty host are all her slain

07:027

Her house is the way to the nether-world, going down to the chambers of death