1My son, keep my sayings, and let my rules be stored up with you.

2Keep my rules and you will have life; let my teaching be to you as the light of your eyes;

3Let them be fixed to your fingers, and recorded in your heart.

4Say to wisdom, You are my sister; let knowledge be named your special friend:

5So that they may keep you from the strange woman, even from her whose words are smooth.

6Looking out from my house, and watching through the window,

7I saw among the young men one without sense,

8Walking in the street near the turn of her road, going on the way to her house,

9At nightfall, in the evening of the day, in the black dark of the night.

10And the woman came out to him, in the dress of a loose woman, with a designing heart;

11She is full of noise and uncontrolled; her feet keep not in her house.

12Now she is in the street, now in the open spaces, waiting at every turning of the road.

13So she took him by his hand, kissing him, and without a sign of shame she said to him:

14I have a feast of peace-offerings, for today my oaths have been effected.

15So I came out in the hope of meeting you, looking for you with care, and now I have you.

16My bed is covered with cushions of needlework, with coloured cloths of the cotton thread of Egypt;

17I have made my bed sweet with perfumes and spices.

18Come, let us take our pleasure in love till the morning, having joy in love's delights.

19For the master of the house is away on a long journey:

20He has taken a bag of money with him; he is coming back at the full moon.

21With her fair words she overcame him, forcing him with her smooth lips.

22The simple man goes after her, like an ox going to its death, like a roe pulled by a cord;

23Like a bird falling into a net; with no thought that his life is in danger, till an arrow goes into his side.

24So now, my sons, give ear to me; give attention to the sayings of my mouth;

25Let not your heart be turned to her ways, do not go wandering in her footsteps.

26For those wounded and made low by her are great in number; and all those who have come to their death through her are a great army.

27Her house is the way to the underworld, going down to the rooms of death.