1My son , keep my words, And lay up my commandments with thee. 2Keep my commandments and live ; And my law as the apple of thine eye . 3Bind them upon thy fingers; Write them upon the tablet of thy heart . 4Say unto wisdom , Thou art my sister; And call understanding thy kinswoman : 5That they may keep thee from the strange woman , From the foreigner that flattereth with her words.
The Seduction of the Adulteress
6For at the window of my house I looked forth through my lattice; 7And I beheld among the simple ones , I discerned among the youths , A young man void of understanding , 8Passing through the street near her corner ; And he went the way to her house , 9In the twilight , in the evening of the day , In the middle of the night and in the darkness. 10And , behold , there met him a woman With the attire of a harlot , and wily of heart . 11( She is clamorous and wilful; Her feet abide not in her house : 12Now she is in the streets , now in the broad places , And lieth in wait at every corner .)
The Allure of Sin
13So she caught him , and kissed him , And with an impudent face she said unto him : 14Sacrifices of peace-offerings are with me ; This day have I paid my vows . 15Therefore came I forth to meet thee , Diligently to seek thy face , and I have found thee . 16I have spread my couch with carpets of tapestry , With striped cloths of the yarn of Egypt . 17I have perfumed my bed With myrrh , aloes, and cinnamon . 18Come , let us take our fill of love until the morning ; Let us solace ourselves with loves . 19For the man is not at home ; He is gone a long journey : 20He hath taken a bag of money with him ; He will come home at the full moon .
The Consequences of Adultery
21With her much fair speech she causeth him to yield ; With the flattering of her lips she forceth him along. 22He goeth after her straightway , As an ox goeth to the slaughter , Or as one in fetters to the correction of the fool; 23Till an arrow strike through his liver ; As a bird hasteth to the snare , And knoweth not that it is for his life . 24Now therefore , my sons , hearken unto me , And attend to the words of my mouth . 25Let not thy heart decline to her ways ; Go not astray in her paths . 26For she hath cast down many wounded : Yea , all her slain are a mighty host. 27Her house is the way to Sheol , Going down to the chambers of death .