1My son, keep my words and treasure up my commandments with you;2keep my commandments and live, keep my teachings 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 insight your intimate friend;5to preserve you from the loose woman, from the adventuress with her smooth words.6For at the window of my house I have looked out through my lattice,7and I have seen among the simple, I have perceived among the youths, a young man without sense,8passing along the street near her corner, taking the road to her house9in the twilight, in the evening, at the time of night and darkness.10And lo, a woman meets him, dressed as a harlot, wily of heart.11She is loud and wayward, her feet do not stay at home;12now in the street, now in the market, and at every corner she lies in wait.13She seizes him and kisses him, and with impudent face she says to him:14“I had to offer sacrifices, and today I have paid my vows;15so now I have come out to meet you, to seek you eagerly, and I have found you.16I have decked my couch with coverings, colored spreads of Egyptian linen;17I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.18Come, let us take our fill of love till morning; let us delight ourselves with love.19For my husband is not at home; he has gone on a long journey;20he took a bag of money with him; at full moon he will come home.”21With much seductive speech she persuades him; with her smooth talk she compels him.22All at once he follows her, as an ox goes to the slaughter, or as a stag is caught fast23till an arrow pierces its entrails; as a bird rushes into a snare; he does not know that it will cost him his life.24And now, O sons, listen to me, and be attentive to the words of my mouth.25Let not your heart turn aside to her ways, do not stray into her paths;26for many a victim has she laid low; yea, all her slain are a mighty host.27Her house is the way to Sheol, going down to the chambers of death.