(1) My son, keep my words, and lay up my commandments with thee.
(2) Keep my commandments, and live; and my law as the apple of thine eye.
(3) Bind them upon thy fingers, write them upon the table of thine heart.
(4) Say unto wisdom, Thou art my sister; and call understanding thy kinswoman:
(5) That they may keep thee from the strange woman, from the stranger which flattereth with her words.
(6) For at the window of my house I looked through my casement.
(7) And behold among the simples ones, I discerned among the youths, a young man void of understanding,
(8) Passing through the street near the comer; and he went the way to her house.
(9) In the twilight, in the evening, in the black and dark night;
(10) And, behold, there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot, and subtil of heart,
(11) She is loud and stubborn; her feet abide not in her house;
(12) Now is she without, now in the streets, and lieth in wait at every corner.
(13) So she caught him, and kissed him, and with an impudent face said unto him,
(14) I have peace offerings with me; this day have I payed my vows.
(15) Therefore came I forth to meet thee, diligently to seek thy face, and I have found thee.
(16) I have decked my bed with coverings of tapestry, with carved works, with fine linen of Egypt.
(17) I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
(18) Come, let us take thy fill of love until the morning: let us solace ourselves with loves.
(19) For the goodman is not at home, he is gone a long journey:
(20) He hath taken a bag of money with him, and will come home at the day appointed.
(21) With her much fair speech she caused him to # yield, with the flattering of her lips she forced him.
(22) He goeth after her straightway, as an ox goeth to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks;
(23) Till a dart strike through his liver; as a bird hasteth to the snare, and knoweth not that it is for his life.
(24) Hearken unto me though therefore, 0 ye children, and attend to the words of my mouth.
(25) Let not thine heart decline to her ways, go not astray in her paths.
(26) For she hath cast down many wounded; yea, many strong men have been slain by her.
(27) Her house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death.
(5) A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels;
(12) Let us swallow them up alive as the grave; and whole, as those that go down into the pit:
(17) Surely in vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird.
(20) Wisdom crieth without; she uttereth her voice in the streets;
(10) When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul;
(15) Whose ways are crooked, and they forward into their paths:
(16) To deliver thee from the strange woman, even from the stranger which flattereth with her words;
(17) Which forsaketh the guide of her youth, and forgetteth the covenant of her God.
(18) For her house inclineth unto death, and her paths unto the dead.
(19) None that go unto her return again, neither take they hold of the paths of life.
(20) That thou mayest walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous.
(21) For the upright shall dwell in the land, and the perfect shall remain in it.
(13) Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.
(4) But her end is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two edged sword.
(5) Her feet go down to death; her steps take hold on hell.
(16) These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him:
(18) An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,
(19) A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.
(20) My son, keep thy father’s commandment, and forsake not the law of thy mother:
(17) A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood.
(24) To keep thee from the evil woman, from the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman.
(25) Lust not after her beauty in thine heart; neither let her take thee with her eyelids.
(26) For by means of a whorish woman a man is brought to a piece of bread: and the adulteress will hunt for the precious life.
(27) Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned!
(28) Can one go upon hot coals, and his feet not be burned!
(29) So he that goeth in to his neighbour’s wife; whosoever toucheth her shall not be innocent.
(30) Men do not despise a thief, if he steal to satisfy his soul when he is hungry;
(32) But whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding; he that doeth it destroyed his own soul.
(3) She hath sent forth her maidens: she crieth upon the highest places of the city.
(13) In the lips of him that hath understanding wisdom is found: but a rod is for the back of him that is void of understanding.
(16) A gracious woman retaineth honour; and strong men retain riches.
(17) The merciful man doeth good to his own soul: but he that is cruel troubleth his own flesh.
(1) Whoso loveth instruction loveth knowledge: but he that hateth reproof is brutish.
(4) A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband; but she that maketh ashamed is as rottenness in his bones.
(20) Deceit is in the heart of them that imagine evil; but to the counsellors of peace is joy.
(23) A prudent man concealeth knowledge; but the heart of fools proclaimeth foolishness.
(21) Evil pursueth sinners; but to the righteous good shall be repayed.
(9) He also that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster.
(29) The glory of young men is their strength; and the beauty of old men is the grey head.
(9) Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser; teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.
(10) The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.
(11) For by me thy days shall be multiplied, and the years of thy life shall be increased.
(12) If thon be wise, thou shalt be wise for thyself : but if thou scornest, thou alone shalt bear it.
(13) A foolish woman is clamorous: she is simple, and knoweth nothing.
(14) For she sitteth at the door of her house, on a seat in the high places of the city.
(15) To call passengers who go right on their ways:
(16) Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither: and as for him that wanteth understanding, she saith to him,
(17) Stolen waters are sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant.
(18) But he knoweth not that the dead are there; and that her guests are in the depths of hell.
(14) The law of the wise is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of Death.
(18) Poverty and shame shall be to him that re- fuseth instruction; but he that regardeth reproof (advice) shall be honored.
(19) The desire (sensual) accomplished is sweet to the soul; but it is abomination to fools to depart from evil.
(20) He that walketh with wise men shall be wise; but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.
(35) A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things; and an 6vil man out of the evil (Sensuality) treasure bringeth forth evil things.
(15) The way of a fool is right in his own eyes; but he that harkeneth unto counsel is wise.
(32) But whoso committed adultery with a worn- an lacketh understanding; he that doeth it destroyeth his own souL