7 My child, obey what I’ve told you,

and store my instructions securely inside you.

2 Follow my instructions and live,

≈and keep my teaching as the focus of your eyes.

3 Tie them onto your fingers.

≈Write them onto your mind.

4 Tell wisdom that she’s your sister,

≈and call understanding a close relative,

5 so they’ll keep you from the street woman—

≈from the ungodly woman whose words sound so smooth.

6 Once from the window of my house,

I looked down through the lattice slits,

7 and I saw a simple lad—

a youth lacking much judgement.

8 He was passing through her street near the corner,

then he strode along the path to her house.

9 In the twilight as evening began—

halfway towards night and darkness.

10 Then look, a woman greets him,

dressed like a prostitute and skilled at seduction.

11 She’s boisterous and defiant,

and her feet don’t know how to stay home.

12 She’s often on the street or in the plazas,

and she lies in wait at every corner.

13 Then she grabbed him and kissed him.

She looks serious and tells him,

14 “I have meat at home from my sacrifice earlier—

today I’ve done my religious duties.

15 That’s why I came out to meet you—

to look all around until I found you.

16 I’ve put nice covers on my couch—

coloured linen fabric from Egypt.

17 I’ve perfumed my bed

with fragrant myrrh and aloes and cinnamon.

18 Come and let’s enjoy making love until morning.

We can delight ourselves in our love

19 because the man of the house is away—

he’s gone away on a long journey.

20 He took a bag of money with him.

He won’t be back home until the middle of the month.”

21 She persuades him with her seductive talk.

She compels him with her smooth lips.

22 He suddenly started following her,

like a cow going to be slaughtered—

like a fool with a noose around his neck,

23 until an arrow pierces his stomach,

like a bird rushing into a trap,

not knowing that it will cost him his life.

24 So listen to me now my children,

and pay attention to what I’m telling you.

25 Do let your desires drive you in her direction.

Don’t wander onto her pathways

26 because she’s caused many to be pierced and fall—

it would be difficult to count them all.

27 Her house is the pathway to the grave—

descending downwards to deathly rooms.