35NOT HE WILL LIFT UP [THE] FACE OF ANY RANSOM AND NOT HE WILL BE WILLING FOR YOU WILL MAKE GREAT A BRIBE 35He will not be appeased by any ransom, or persuaded by lavish gifts.
1O SON MY KEEP WORDS MY AND COMMANDMENTS MY YOU WILL TREASURE WITH YOU Warnings about the Adulteress 1My son, keep my words and treasure my commandments within you.
2KEEP COMMANDMENTS MY AND LIVE AND INSTRUCTION MY LIKE [THE] PUPIL OF EYES YOUR 2Keep my commandments and live; guard my teachings as the apple*NoteCloseLiterally the pupil of your eye.
3BIND THEM ON FINGERS YOUR WRITE THEM ON [THE] TABLET OF HEART YOUR 3Tie them to your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart.
4SAY TO <THE> WISDOM [ARE] SISTER MY YOU AND A RELATIVE TO <THE> DISCERNMENT YOU WILL CALL 4Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,” and call understanding your kinsman,
5TO KEEP YOU FROM A WOMAN STRANGE FROM A FOREIGN [WOMAN] [WHO] WORDS HER SHE MAKES SMOOTH 5that they may keep you from the adulteress, from the stranger with seductive words.
6FOR AT [THE] WINDOW OF HOUSE MY THROUGH LATTICE MY I LOOKED DOWN 6For at the window of my house I looked through the lattice.
7AND I SAW AMONG THE NAIVE PEOPLE I OBSERVED AMONG THE SONS A YOUTH LACKING OF HEART 7I saw among the simple, I noticed among the youths, a young man lacking judgment,
8[WHO] WAS PASSING BY IN THE STREET BESIDE CORNER HER AND [THE] DIRECTION OF HOUSE HER HE STRODE 8crossing the street near her corner, strolling down the road to her house,
9AT TWILIGHT IN [THE] EVENING OF [THE] DAY IN [THE] MIDDLE OF [THE] NIGHT AND DARKNESS 9at twilight, as the day was fading into the dark of the night.
10AND THERE! A WOMAN TO MEET HIM [THE] GARMENT OF A PROSTITUTE AND GUARDED OF HEART 10Then a woman came out to meet him, with the attire of a harlot and cunning of heart.
11[IS] BOISTEROUS SHE AND REBELLIOUS IN HOUSE HER NOT THEY STAY FEET HER 11She is loud and defiant; her feet do not remain at home.
12A TIME IN THE STREET A TIME IN THE OPEN PLACES AND BESIDE EVERY CORNER SHE LIES IN WAIT 12Now in the street, now in the squares, she lurks at every corner.
13AND SHE TAKES HOLD ON HIM AND SHE KISSES <TO> HIM SHE HAS MADE FIRM FACE HER AND SHE SAID TO HIM 13She seizes him and kisses him; she brazenly says to him:
14SACRIFICES OF PEACE OFFERINGS [ARE] ON ME THIS DAY I HAVE PAID VOWS MY 14“I have made my peace offerings; today I have paid my vows.
15THERE- -FORE I HAVE COME OUT TO MEET YOU TO SEEK FACE YOUR AND I HAVE FOUND YOU 15So I came out to meet you; I sought you, and I have found you.
16COVERINGS I HAVE SPREAD COUCH MY COLORED FABRICS LINEN OF EGYPT 16I have decked my bed with coverings, with colored linen from Egypt.
17I HAVE SPRINKLED BED MY MYRRH ALOES AND CINNAMON 17I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, with aloes, and with cinnamon.
18COME! LET US TAKE OUR FILL OF LOVE<S> UNTIL THE MORNING LET US DELIGHT OURSELVES WITH LOVE<S> 18Come, let us take our fill of love till morning. Let us delight in loving caresses!
19FOR NOT THE HUSBAND [IS] IN HOUSE HIS HE HAS GONE ON A JOURNEY FROM A DISTANCE 19For my husband is not at home; he has gone on a long journey.
20[THE] BAG OF <THE> MONEY HE HAS TAKEN IN HAND HIS TO [THE] DAY OF THE FULL MOON HE WILL COME HOUSE HIS 20He took with him a bag of money and will not return till the moon is full.”
21SHE TURNS HIM WITH [THE] GREATNESS OF PERSUASIVENESS HER WITH [THE] SEDUCTIVENESS OF LIPS HER SHE IMPELS HIM 21With her great persuasion she entices him; with her flattering lips she lures him.
22[HE IS] WALKING BEHIND HER SUDDENLY LIKE AN OX [WHICH] TO [THE] SLAUGHTER IT GOES AND LIKE AN ANKLET TO [THE] CHASTENING OF A FOOL 22He follows her on impulse, like an ox going to the slaughter, like a deer bounding into a trap,*NoteCloseProbable reading (see LXX, Vulgate, Syriac); Hebrew like fetters to discipline a fool
23UNTIL IT WILL PIERCE AN ARROW LIVER HIS AS HURRIES A BIRD INTO A TRAP AND NOT HE KNOWS THAT [IS] FOR LIFE HIS IT 23until an arrow pierces his liver, like a bird darting into a snare— not knowing it will cost him his life.
24AND THEREFORE O CHILDREN LISTEN TO ME AND BE ATTENTIVE TO [THE] WORDS OF MOUTH MY 24Now, my sons, listen to me, and attend to the words of my mouth.
25MAY NOT IT TURN ASIDE TO WAYS HER HEART YOUR MAY NOT IT GO ASTRAY IN PATHWAYS HER 25Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways; do not stray into her paths.
26FOR MANY SLAIN [ONES] SHE HAS MADE FALL AND [ARE] NUMEROUS ALL KILLED [MEN] HER 26For she has brought many down to death; her slain are many in number.
27[IS] [THE] WAYS OF SHEOL HOUSE HER [WHICH] GO DOWN TO [THE] CHAMBERS OF DEATH 27Her house is the road to Sheol, descending to the chambers of death.