- 1
- My sonne, keepe my wordes, & hide my commandements with thee.
- 2
- Keepe my commandements, and thou shalt liue, and mine instruction as the apple of thine eyes.
- 3
- Binde them vpon thy fingers, and write them vpon the table of thine heart.
- 4
- Say vnto wisedome, Thou art my sister: and call vnderstanding thy kinswoman,
- 5
- That they may keepe thee from the strange woman, euen from the stranger that is smoothe in her wordes.
- 6
- As I was in the window of mine house, I looked through my windowe,
- 7
- And I sawe among the fooles, and considered among the children a yong man destitute of vnderstanding,
- 8
- Who passed through the streete by her corner, and went toward her house,
- 9
- In the twilight in the euening, when the night began to be blacke and darke.
- 10
- And beholde, there met him a woman with an harlots behauiour, and subtill in heart.
- 11
- (She is babling and loud: whose feete can not abide in her house.
- 12
- Nowe she is without, nowe in the streetes, and lyeth in waite at euery corner)
- 13
- So she caught him & kissed him and with an impudent face said vnto him,
- 14
- I haue peace offerings: this day haue I payed my vowes.
- 15
- Therefore came I forth to meete thee, that I might seeke thy face: and I haue found thee.
- 16
- I haue deckt my bed with ornaments, carpets and laces of Egypt.
- 17
- I haue perfumed my bedde with myrrhe, aloes, and cynamom.
- 18
- Come, let vs take our fill of loue vntill the morning: let vs take our pleasure in daliance.
- 19
- For mine husbande is not at home: he is gone a iourney farre off.
- 20
- He hath taken with him a bagge of siluer, and will come home at the day appointed.
- 21
- Thus with her great craft she caused him to yeelde, and with her flattering lips she entised him.
- 22
- And he followed her straight wayes, as an oxe that goeth to the slaughter, and as a foole to the stockes for correction,
- 23
- Till a dart strike through his liuer, as a bird hasteth to the snare, not knowing that he is in danger.
- 24
- Heare me now therefore, O children, and hearken to the wordes of my mouth.
- 25
- Let not thine heart decline to her wayes: wander thou not in her paths.
- 26
- For shee hath caused many to fall downe wounded, & the strong men are all slaine by her.
- 27
- Her house is the way vnto ye graue, which goeth downe to the chambers of death.
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