Chapter 7

My son, keep my sayings, and let my rules be stored up with you.

Keep my rules and you will have life; let my teaching be to you as the light of your eyes;

Let them be fixed to your fingers, and recorded in your heart.

Say to wisdom, You are my sister; let knowledge be named your special friend:

So that they may keep you from the strange woman, even from her whose words are smooth.

Looking out from my house, and watching through the window,

I saw among the young men one without sense,

Walking in the street near the turn of her road, going on the way to her house,

At nightfall, in the evening of the day, in the black dark of the night.

And the woman came out to him, in the dress of a loose woman, with a designing heart;

She is full of noise and uncontrolled; her feet keep not in her house.

Now she is in the street, now in the open spaces, waiting at every turning of the road.

So she took him by his hand, kissing him, and without a sign of shame she said to him:

I have a feast of peace-offerings, for today my oaths have been effected.

So I came out in the hope of meeting you, looking for you with care, and now I have you.

My bed is covered with cushions of needlework, with coloured cloths of the cotton thread of Egypt;

I have made my bed sweet with perfumes and spices.

Come, let us take our pleasure in love till the morning, having joy in love's delights.

For the master of the house is away on a long journey:

He has taken a bag of money with him; he is coming back at the full moon.

With her fair words she overcame him, forcing him with her smooth lips.

The simple man goes after her, like an ox going to its death, like a roe pulled by a cord;

Like a bird falling into a net; with no thought that his life is in danger, till an arrow goes into his side.

So now, my sons, give ear to me; give attention to the sayings of my mouth;

Let not your heart be turned to her ways, do not go wandering in her footsteps.

For those wounded and made low by her are great in number; and all those who have come to their death through her are a great army.

Her house is the way to the underworld, going down to the rooms of death.