Wisdom will protect you from sinful women
1My child, you must remember
what I tell you
and you must do what I say to you.
2Do it so that you can keep on living.
The things that I teach you
must be very important to you.
Protect them like you protect your eyes.
3Never forget them,
but write them on your heart like in a book.
4Wisdom must be to you
like your sister
and understanding must be your best friend.
5Then it will protect you from bad women,
women who are not married to you,
and women who say dangerous things.
6I was standing
at the window of my house
and I looked out through the shutters
7and I saw a young man who was very foolish.
I saw a man who had no wisdom.
8He was walking in the street
near the corner
and he went to a bad woman's house.
9It was late and evening came,
and then it became dark and it was night.
10Then the young woman came out to him.
Her clothes were like those of a prostitute
and she planned to seduce him.
11She was not ashamed
and she spoke loudly.
She did not like to stay at home.
12She walked from one side
of the street to the other side
and to the market place,
waiting on the corners of the streets.
13She went to the young man
and grabbed him and kissed him.
She looked deep into his eyes and said:
14‘I have a lot of meat at home
because I gave the offerings today
that I had promised.
15That is why I came to you.
I have been looking for you
and now I have found you.
16I have put blankets on my bed,
and coloured linen sheets from Egypt.
17I have poured out myrrh, aloe
and cinnamon on my sheets.
18Let's make love all night long,
and let's enjoy having sex until morning comes.
19We can do it because
my husband is not at home.
He has gone far away from home.
20He took a lot of money with him,
and he will come back only when it is full moon.’
21That is how she seduced
the young man with her clever words.
He listened to her soft words
and he did what she said.
22The young man went with her.
He was like an ox that was led to be killed,
like a goat that was caught in a trap
23and shot through his liver with an arrow,
or like a bird that went straight into a trap.
He didn't realise that
what he did would kill him.
24My child,
that is why you must listen to me,
and you must do what I tell you.
25Don't go with a sinful woman like that.
Don't do what she wants you to do,
26because she has destroyed a lot of men,
and a lot of men have lost their lives
because they listened to her.
27In her home you are on the path of death.
Her house is the road
to the underworld and the grave.
