The Book of Proverbs

My son, keep my words and store up my commands within you.

Keep my commands and live, and my law as the pupil of your eye.

Tie them on your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart.

Say to wisdom, You [are] my sister, and call understanding [your] kinsman,

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

and I saw among the simple ones, I observed among the sons a young man lacking heart,

passing through the street near her corner; and he went the way to her house,

in the twilight, in the evening, in the black and darkness of night.

And, behold, a woman to meet him, with a harlot's dress, and a guarded heart;

she [is] loud and stubborn; her feet do not stay in her own house.

At this time [she is] outside, now in the streets, and [she] lies in wait at every corner;

and she seizes him and kisses him; she hardens her face and says to him,

Sacrifices of peace offerings are on me, today I have paid my vows;

so I came out to meet you, earnestly to seek your face, and I have found you.

I have spread my couch with coverings, with striped cloths of Egyptian linen.

I have sprinkled my bed with myrrh, aloes and cinnamon.

Come, let us take our fill of love until the morning, let us delight ourselves with caresses.

For my husband [is] not at his house; he is going in the way, far away.

He has taken a bag of silver in his hand; at the day of the full moon he will enter his house.

With the sum of her persuasion she turned him aside; with the flattering of her lips she forced him.

He goes after her immediately, as an ox goes to the slaughter; or as one in fetters goes to the correction of a fool,

until an arrow strikes through his liver, as a bird hastens to the snare, and not knowing that it [is] for his soul.

Now, then, listen to me, O sons, and attend to the words of my mouth:

Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways; do not go astray in her paths.

For many [are] the wounded she has caused to fall; and plentiful all her slain ones.

The ways of Sheol [are] in her house, leading down to the rooms of death.