1 My son, keep my words and treasure my commandments within you.

2 Keep my commandments and live;

3 Bind them on your fingers;

4 Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,” and call understanding your close relative,

5 to guard you from the adulterous woman, from the unfaithful woman with her smooth words.

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

7 and I saw among the simple, I noticed among the youths, a young man who lacked sense.

8 He was passing along the street near her corner, walking toward her house,

9 at twilight, as evening fell, in the deep darkness of night.

10 And there a woman came to meet him, dressed as a prostitute, with hidden intent.

11 She is loud and rebellious;

12 Now in the street, now in the squares, she lies in wait at every corner.

13 She seized him and kissed him;

14 “I owed peace offerings;

15 That is why I came out to meet you, to seek you eagerly, and I have found you.

16 I have spread coverings over my bed, patterned linen from Egypt.

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

18 Come, let us drink our fill of love until morning;

19 For my husband is not at home;

20 He took a bag of silver with him;

21 With her abundant persuasion she swayed him;

22 All at once he follows her, like an ox going to slaughter, like a fool in fetters going to punishment,

23 until an arrow pierces his liver, like a bird rushing into a snare, not knowing that it will cost him his life.

24 Now, sons, listen to me;

25 Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways;

26 For many are the slain she has brought down;

27 Her house is a road to Sheol, descending to the chambers of death.