On Avoiding the Immoral Woman

1My son, guard what I say

and treasure my commands.

2Keep my commands and you’ll live.

Guarda my teaching as you do your eyesight.

3Strap them to your fingers

and engrave them on the tablet of your heart.

4Say to wisdom, “You’re my sister!”

and call understanding your close relative,

5so they can keep you from an adulterous woman,

from the immoral woman with her seductive words.

A Father’s Warning

6For from a window in my house

I peered through the lattice work,

7and I noticed among the naïve—

that is, I discerned among the youths—

a senseless young man.

8Proceeding down the street near her corner,

he makes his way toward her house

9at twilight, during the evening,

even during the darkest part of the night.

10Look! A woman makes her way to meet him,

dressed as a prostitute

and intending to entrap him.

11She is brazen and defiant—

her feet don’t remain at home.

12Now she is in the street, now in the plazas,

she lurks near every corner.

13So she grabs hold of him and kisses him,

with a brazen face she speaks to him,

14“I have givenb my peace offerings,

and today I fulfilled my vows.

15Therefore, I’ve come out to meet you,

I’ve looked just for you,

and I found you!

16I’ve decorated my bed with new coverings—

embroidered linen from Egypt.

17I’ve perfumed my bed

with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.

18Come, let’s make love until dawn;

let’s comfort ourselves with love,

19because my husband isn’t home.

He left on a long trip.

20He took a fist full of cash

and he’ll return home in a month.”

21She leads him astray with great persuasion;

with flattering lips she seduces him.

22All of a sudden he follows her

like an ox fit for slaughter

or like a fool fit for a trapc

23until an arrow pierces his liver.

As a bird darts into a snare,

he doesn’t realize his fatal decision.d

24So listen to me, my sons,

and pay attention to what I have to say.

25Don’t be led astray by her lifestyle,e

and don’t imitate her behavior.f

26For many are the victims whom she has conquered,

and many are her slain.

27Her house leads to Sheol,g

descending to death’s catacombs.