Warnings about the Adulteress

1My sonne, keepe my wordes, & hide my commandements with thee.

2Keepe my commandements, and thou shalt liue, and mine instruction as the apple of thine eyes.

3Binde them vpon thy fingers, and write them vpon the table of thine heart.

4Say vnto wisedome, Thou art my sister: and call vnderstanding thy kinswoman,

5That they may keepe thee from the strange woman, euen from the stranger that is smoothe in her wordes.

6As I was in the window of mine house, I looked through my windowe,

7And I sawe among the fooles, and considered among the children a yong man destitute of vnderstanding,

8Who passed through the streete by her corner, and went toward her house,

9In the twilight in the euening, when the night began to be blacke and darke.

10And 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.

12Nowe she is without, nowe in the streetes, and lyeth in waite at euery corner)

13So she caught him & kissed him and with an impudent face said vnto him,

14I haue peace offerings: this day haue I payed my vowes.

15Therefore came I forth to meete thee, that I might seeke thy face: and I haue found thee.

16I haue deckt my bed with ornaments, carpets and laces of Egypt.

17I haue perfumed my bedde with myrrhe, aloes, and cynamom.

18Come, let vs take our fill of loue vntill the morning: let vs take our pleasure in daliance.

19For mine husbande is not at home: he is gone a iourney farre off.

20He hath taken with him a bagge of siluer, and will come home at the day appointed.

21Thus with her great craft she caused him to yeelde, and with her flattering lips she entised him.

22And he followed her straight wayes, as an oxe that goeth to the slaughter, and as a foole to the stockes for correction,

23Till a dart strike through his liuer, as a bird hasteth to the snare, not knowing that he is in danger.

24Heare me now therefore, O children, and hearken to the wordes of my mouth.

25Let not thine heart decline to her wayes: wander thou not in her paths.

26For shee hath caused many to fall downe wounded, & the strong men are all slaine by her.

27Her house is the way vnto ye graue, which goeth downe to the chambers of death.