1My son, guard my words, And treasure up my commands with you.

2Guard my commands and live, And my Torah as the apple of your eye.

3Bind them on your fingers; Write them on the tablet of your heart.

4Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,” And call understanding a close friend,

5To guard you against the strange woman, Against the foreigner who flatters with her words.

6For at the window of my house I looked through my lattice,

7And I saw among the simple, I perceived among the youths, A young man lacking heart,

8Passing through the street near her corner; And he went the way to her house

9In the twilight, in the evening, In the black and dark night.

10And look, a woman met him, Dressed like a whore, With a hidden heart.

11She was boisterous and stubborn, Her feet did not stay at her own house.

12Now in the street, Now in the square, And at every corner she lurks.

13And she took hold of him and kissed him; She hardened her face and said to him:

14“Peace offerings are with me; Today I have paid my vows.

15“Therefore I came out to meet you, To earnestly seek your face, and I found you.

16“I have spread my bed with coverings, Coloured linens of Mitsrayim.

17“I have sprinkled my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.

18“Come, let us take our fill of love until morning; Let us delight ourselves with love.

19“For my husband is not at home; He has gone on a long journey;

20“He took a bag of silver with him; He comes home on the day of the new moon.”

21With her many words she leads him astray, With her smooth lips she seduces him.

22He goes after her immediately, Like an ox he goes to the slaughter, And as in chains, a fool to the punishment,

23Till an arrow strikes through his liver; Like a bird rushing into a snare, And did not know it would take his life.

24And now, listen to me, you children; Pay attention to the words of my mouth:

25Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways, Do not go astray in her paths.

26For many are the wounded she has caused to fall, And numerous all her slain ones.

27Her house is the way to the grave, Going down to the rooms of death.