1 My son,

pay attention to my wisdom.

Open your ears to my understanding

2 so that you may act with foresight

and speak with insight.

3 The lips of an adulterous woman drip with honey.

Her kiss is smoother than oil,

4 but in the end she is as bitter as wormwood,

as sharp as a two-edged sword.

5 Her feet descend to death.

Her steps lead straight to hell.

6 She doesn’t even think about the path of life.

Her steps wander, and she doesn’t realize it.

7 But now, sons,

listen to me,

and do not turn away from what I say to you.

8 Stay far away from her.

Do not even go near her door.

9 Either you will surrender your reputation to others

and ⌞the rest of⌟ your years to some cruel person,

10 or strangers will benefit from your strength

and you will have to work hard in a pagan’s house.

11 Then you will groan when your end comes,

when your body and flesh are consumed.

You will say,

12 “Oh, how I hated discipline!

How my heart despised correction!

13 I didn’t listen to what my teachers said to me,

nor did I keep my ear open to my instructors.

14 I almost reached total ruin

in the assembly and in the congregation.”

15 Drink water out of your own cistern

and running water from your own well.

16 Why should water flow out of your spring?

Why should your streams flow into the streets?

17 They should be yours alone,

so do not share them with strangers.

18 Let your own fountain be blessed,

and enjoy the girl you married when you were young,

19 a loving doe and a graceful deer.*Or “graceful goat.”

Always let her breasts satisfy you.

Always be intoxicated with her love.

20 Why should you, my son,

be intoxicated with an adulterous woman

and fondle a loose woman’s breast?

21 Each person’s ways are clearly seen by the Lord,

and he surveys all his actions.

22 A wicked person will be trapped by his own wrongs,

and he will be caught in the ropes of his own sin.

23 He will die for his lack of discipline

and stumble around because of his great stupidity.