The Wiles of a Harlot

71 My son! keep my sayings, And my commands lay up with thee. 2 Keep my commands, and live, And my law as the pupil of thine eye. 3 Bind them on thy fingers, Write them on the tablet of thy heart. 4 Say to wisdom, 'My sister Thou 'art'.' And cry to understanding, 'Kinswoman!' 5 To preserve thee from a strange woman, From a stranger who hath made smooth her sayings.

6 For, at a window of my house, Through my casement I have looked out, 7 And I do see among the simple ones, I discern among the sons, A young man lacking understanding, 8 Passing on in the street, near her corner, And the way 'to' her house he doth step, 9 In the twilight—in the evening of day, In the darkness of night and blackness. 10 And, lo, a woman to meet him—(A harlot's dress, and watchful of heart, 11 Noisy she 'is', and stubborn, In her house her feet rest not. 12 Now in an out-place, now in broad places, And near every corner she lieth in wait)— 13 And she laid hold on him, and kissed him, She hath hardened her face, and saith to him, 14 'Sacrifices of peace-offerings 'are' by me, To-day I have completed my vows. 15 Therefore I have come forth to meet thee, To seek earnestly thy face, and I find thee. 16 'With' ornamental coverings I decked my couch, Carved works—cotton of Egypt. 17 I sprinkled my bed—myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. 18 Come, we are filled 'with' loves till the morning, We delight ourselves in loves. 19 For the man is not in his house, He hath gone on a long journey. 20 A bag of money he hath taken in his hand, At the day of the new moon he cometh to his house.' 21 She turneth him aside with the abundance of her speech, With the flattery of her lips she forceth him. 22 He is going after her straightway, As an ox unto the slaughter he cometh, And as a fetter unto the chastisement of a fool, 23 Till an arrow doth split his liver, As a bird hath hastened unto a snare, And hath not known that it 'is' for its life.

24 And now, ye sons, hearken to me, And give attention to sayings of my mouth. 25 Let not thy heart turn unto her ways, Do not wander in her paths, 26 For many 'are' the wounded she caused to fall, And mighty 'are' all her slain ones. 27 The ways of Sheol—her house, Going down unto inner chambers of death!

Exhortations to Obedience

31 My son! my law forget not, And my commands let thy heart keep, 2 For length of days and years, Life and peace they do add to thee. 3 Let not kindness and truth forsake thee, Bind them on thy neck, Write them on the tablet of thy heart, 4 And find grace and good understanding In the eyes of God and man. 5 Trust unto Jehovah with all thy heart, And unto thine own understanding lean not. 6 In all thy ways know thou Him, And He doth make straight thy paths.

7 Be not wise in thine own eyes, Fear Jehovah, and turn aside from evil. 8 Healing it is to thy navel, And moistening to thy bones. 9 Honour Jehovah from thy substance, And from the beginning of all thine increase; 10 And filled are thy barns 'with' plenty, And 'with' new wine thy presses break forth. 11 Chastisement of Jehovah, my son, despise not, And be not vexed with His reproof, 12 For whom Jehovah loveth He reproveth, Even as a father the son He is pleased with.

13 O the happiness of a man 'who' hath found wisdom, And of a man 'who' bringeth forth understanding. 14 For better 'is' her merchandise Than the merchandise of silver, And than gold—her increase. 15 Precious she 'is' above rubies, And all thy pleasures are not comparable to her. 16 Length of days 'is' in her right hand, In her left 'are' wealth and honour. 17 Her ways 'are' ways of pleasantness, And all her paths 'are' peace. 18 A tree of life she 'is' to those laying hold on her, And whoso is retaining her 'is' happy. 19 Jehovah by wisdom did found the earth, He prepared the heavens by understanding. 20 By His knowledge depths have been rent, And clouds do drop dew.

21 My son! let them not turn from thine eyes, Keep thou wisdom and thoughtfulness, 22 And they are life to thy soul, and grace to thy neck. 23 Then thou goest thy way confidently, And thy foot doth not stumble. 24 If thou liest down, thou art not afraid, Yea, thou hast lain down, And sweet hath been thy sleep. 25 Be not afraid of sudden fear, And of the desolation of the wicked when it cometh. 26 For Jehovah is at thy side, And He hath kept thy foot from capture.

27 Withhold not good from its owners, When thy hand 'is' toward God to do 'it'. 28 Say not thou to thy friend, 'Go, and return, and to-morrow I give,' And substance with thee. 29 Devise not against thy neighbour evil, And he sitting confidently with thee. 30 Strive not with a man without cause, If he have not done thee evil. 31 Be not envious of a man of violence, Nor fix thou on any of his ways. 32 For an abomination to Jehovah 'is' the perverted, And with the upright 'is' His secret counsel. 33 The curse of Jehovah 'is' in the house of the wicked. And the habitation of the righteous He blesseth. 34 If the scorners He doth scorn, Yet to the humble He doth give grace. 35 Honour do the wise inherit, And fools are bearing away shame!