1 fili mi custodi sermones meos et praecepta mea reconde tibi
2 serva mandata mea et vives
et legem meam quasi pupillam oculi tui
3 liga eam in digitis tuis scribe illam in tabulis cordis tui
4 dic sapientiae soror mea es et prudentiam voca amicam tuam
5 ut custodiat te a muliere extranea
et ab aliena quae verba sua dulcia facit
6 de fenestra enim domus meae per cancellos prospexi
7 et video parvulos considero vecordem iuvenem
8 qui transit in platea iuxta angulum
et propter viam domus illius graditur
9 in obscuro advesperascente die in noctis tenebris et caligine
10 et ecce mulier occurrit illi
ornatu meretricio praeparata ad capiendas animas
garrula et vaga
11 quietis inpatiens
nec valens in domo consistere pedibus suis
12 nunc foris nunc in plateis nunc iuxta angulos insidians
13 adprehensumque deosculatur iuvenem
et procaci vultu blanditur dicens
14 victimas pro salute debui hodie reddidi vota mea
15 idcirco egressa sum in occursum tuum
desiderans te videre et repperi
16 intexui funibus lectum meum
stravi tapetibus pictis ex Aegypto
17 aspersi cubile meum murra
et aloe et cinnamomo
18 veni inebriemur uberibus
donec inlucescat dies et fruamur cupitis amplexibus
19 non est enim vir in domo sua abiit via longissima
20 sacculum pecuniae secum tulit
in die plenae lunae reversurus est domum suam
21 inretivit eum multis sermonibus
et blanditiis labiorum protraxit illum
22 statim eam sequitur quasi bos ductus ad victimam
et quasi agnus lasciviens
et ignorans quod ad vincula stultus trahatur
23 donec transfigat sagitta iecur eius
velut si avis festinet ad laqueum
et nescit quia de periculo animae illius agitur
24 nunc ergo fili audi me et adtende verba oris mei
25 ne abstrahatur in viis illius mens tua
neque decipiaris semitis eius
26 multos enim vulneratos deiecit
et fortissimi quique interfecti sunt ab ea
27 viae inferi domus eius
penetrantes interiora mortis
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. 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: 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, 7 And 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, 9 In the twilight, in the evening, in the black and dark night: 10 And, behold, there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot, and subtil of heart. 11 (She is loud and stubborn; her feet abide not in her house: 12 Now is she without, now in the streets, and lieth in wait at every corner.) 13 So she caught him, and kissed him, and with an impudent face said unto him, 14 I have peace offerings with me; this day have I payed my vows. 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. 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. 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. 21 With her much fair speech she caused him to yield, with the flattering of her lips she forced him. 22 He goeth after her straightway, as an ox goeth to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks; 23 Till a dart 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. 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. 27 Her house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death.