The Wiles of the Prostitute
1 My son, keep my words
And treasure my commandments within you [so they are readily available to guide you].
2 Keep my commandments and live,
And keep my teachingandlaw as the apple of your eye.
3 Bind them [securely] on your fingers;
Write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 Say to [skillful and godly] wisdom, “You are my sister,”
And regard understandingandintelligent insight as your intimate friends;
5 That they may keep you from the immoral woman,
From the foreigner [who does not observe God’s laws and] who flatters with her [smooth] words.
6 For at the window of my house
I looked out through my lattice.
7 And among the naive [the inexperienced and gullible],
I saw among the youths
A young man lacking [good] sense,
8 Passing through the street near her corner;
And he took the path to her house
9 In the twilight, in the evening;
In the black and dark night.
10 And there a woman met him,
Dressed as a prostitute and slyandcunning of heart.
11 She was boisterous and rebellious;
She would not stay at home.
12 At timesshe wasin the streets, at times in the market places,
Lurkingandsetting her ambush at every corner.
13 So she caught him and kissed him
And with a brazenandimpudent face she said to him:
14 “I have peace offerings with me;
Today I have paid my vows.
15 “So I came out to meet you [that you might share with me the feast of my offering],
Diligently I sought your face and I have found you.
16 “I have spread my couch with coveringsandcushions of tapestry,
With colored fine linen of Egypt.
17 “I have perfumed my bed
With myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
18 “Come, let us drink our fill of love until morning;
Let us consoleanddelight ourselves with love.
19 “For my husband is not at home.
He has gone on a long journey;
20 He has taken a bag of money with him,
And he will come home on the appointed day.”
21 With her many persuasions she caused him to yield;
With her flattering lips she seduced him.
22 Suddenly he went after her, as an ox goes to the slaughter [not knowing the outcome],
Or as one in stocks going to the correction [to be given] to a fool,
23 Until an arrow pierced his liver [with a mortal wound];
Like a bird fluttering straight into the net,
He did not know that itwould costhim his life.
24 Now therefore, my sons, listen to me,
And pay attention to the words of my mouth.
25 Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways,
Do not stray into her [evil, immoral] paths.
26 For she has cast down many [mortally] wounded;
Indeed, all who were killed by her were strong.
27 Her house is the way toSheol,
Descending to the chambers of death.