1 My son, keep my words, and lay up my commandments with thee.

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.

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.

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:

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.

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,

6 ¶ For at the window of my house
I looked forth through my lattice;

7 And beheld among the simple ones, I discerned among the youths, a young man void of understanding,

7 ¶ And I beheld among the simple ones,
I discerned among the youths,
A young man void of understanding,

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

8 ¶ Passing through the street near her corner,
And he went the way to her house;

9 In the twilight, in the evening, in the black and dark night:

9 ¶ In the twilight, in the evening of the day,
In the blackness of night and the darkness.

10 And, behold, there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot, and subtil of heart.

10 ¶ And, behold, there met him a woman
With the attire of an harlot, and wily of heart.

11 (She is loud and stubborn; her feet abide not in her house:

11 ¶ She is clamorous and wilful;
Her feet abide not in her house:

12 Now is she without, now in the streets, and lieth in wait at every corner.)

12 ¶ Now she is in the streets, now in the broad places,
And lieth in wait at every corner.

13 So she caught him, and kissed him, and with an impudent face said unto him,

13 ¶ So she caught him, and kissed him,
And with an impudent face she said unto him:

14 I have peace offerings with me; this day have I payed my vows.

14 ¶ Sacrifices of peace offerings are with me;
This day have I paid my vows.

15 Therefore came I forth to meet thee, diligently to seek thy face, and I have found thee.

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.

16 ¶ I have spread my couch with carpets of tapestry,
With striped cloths of the yarn of Egypt.

17 I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.

17 ¶ I have perfumed my bed
With myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.

18 Come, let us take our fill of love until the morning: let us solace ourselves with loves.

18 ¶ Come, let us take our 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:

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.

20 ¶ He hath taken a bag of money with him;
He will come home at the full moon.

21 With her much fair speech she caused him to yield, with the flattering of her lips she forced him.

21 ¶ With her much fair speech she causeth him to yield,
With the flattering of her lips she forceth him away.

22 He goeth after her straightway, as an ox goeth to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks;

22 ¶ He goeth after her straightway,
As an ox goeth to the slaughter,
Or as fetters to the correction of the fool;

23 Till a dart strike through his liver; as a bird hasteth to the snare, and knoweth not that it is for his life.

23 ¶ Till an arrow strike through his liver;
As a bird hasteth to the snare,
And knoweth not that it is for his life.

24 ¶ Hearken unto me now therefore, O ye children, and attend to the words of my mouth.

24 ¶ Now therefore, my sons, hearken unto me,
And attend to the words of my mouth.

25 Let not thine heart decline to her ways, go not astray in her paths.

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.

26 ¶ For she hath cast down many wounded:
Yea, all her slain are a mighty host.

27 Her house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death.

27 ¶ Her house is the way to Sheol,
Going down to the chambers of death.