Study Desk

Drink water from your own cistern, running water from your own well.

Should your springs overflow in the streets, your streams of water in the public squares?

Let them be yours alone, never to be shared with strangers.

May your fountain^(m) be blessed, and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth.⁽ⁿ⁾

A loving doe, a graceful deer^(o)— may her breasts satisfy you always, may you ever be intoxicated with her love.

Why, my son, be intoxicated with another man's wife? Why embrace the bosom of a wayward woman?

For your ways are in full view^(p) of the Lord , and he examines^(q) all your paths.^(r)

The evil deeds of the wicked ensnare them;^(s) the cords of their sins hold them fast.^(t)

For lack of discipline they will die,^(u) led astray by their own great folly.^(v)

My son,^(a) if you have put up security^(b) for your neighbor,^(c) if you have shaken hands in pledge^(d) for a stranger,

you have been trapped by what you said, ensnared by the words of your mouth.

So do this, my son, to free yourself, since you have fallen into your neighbor's hands: Go—to the point of exhaustion—^[a] and give your neighbor no rest!

Allow no sleep to your eyes, no slumber to your eyelids.^(e)

Free yourself, like a gazelle^(f) from the hand of the hunter,^(g) like a bird from the snare of the fowler.^(h)

Go to the ant, you sluggard;⁽ⁱ⁾ consider its ways and be wise!

It has no commander, no overseer or ruler,

yet it stores its provisions in summer^(j) and gathers its food at harvest.^(k)

How long will you lie there, you sluggard?^(l) When will you get up from your sleep?

A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest^(m)—

and poverty⁽ⁿ⁾ will come on you like a thief and scarcity like an armed man.

A troublemaker and a villain, who goes about with a corrupt mouth,

who winks maliciously with his eye,^(o) signals with his feet and motions with his fingers,^(p)

who plots evil^(q) with deceit in his heart— he always stirs up conflict.^(r)

Therefore disaster will overtake him in an instant;^(s) he will suddenly^(t) be destroyed—without remedy.^(u)

There are six things the Lord hates,^(v) seven that are detestable to him:

haughty eyes,^(w) a lying tongue,^(x) hands that shed innocent blood,^(y)

a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil,^(z)

a false witness^(aa) who pours out lies^(ab) and a person who stirs up conflict in the community.^(ac)

My son,^(ad) keep your father's command and do not forsake your mother's teaching.^(ae)

Bind them always on your heart; fasten them around your neck.^(af)

When you walk, they will guide you; when you sleep, they will watch over you; when you awake, they will speak to you.

For this command is a lamp, this teaching is a light,^(ag) and correction and instruction are the way to life,^(ah)

keeping you from your neighbor's wife, from the smooth talk of a wayward woman.^(ai)

Do not lust in your heart after her beauty or let her captivate you with her eyes.

For a prostitute can be had for a loaf of bread, but another man's wife preys on your very life.^(aj)

Can a man scoop fire into his lap without his clothes being burned?

Can a man walk on hot coals without his feet being scorched?

So is he who sleeps^(ak) with another man's wife;^(al) no one who touches her will go unpunished.

People do not despise a thief if he steals to satisfy his hunger when he is starving.

Yet if he is caught, he must pay sevenfold,^(am) though it costs him all the wealth of his house.

But a man who commits adultery^(an) has no sense;^(ao) whoever does so destroys himself.

Blows and disgrace are his lot, and his shame will never^(ap) be wiped away.

For jealousy^(aq) arouses a husband's fury,^(ar) and he will show no mercy when he takes revenge.

He will not accept any compensation; he will refuse a bribe, however great it is.^(as)

My son,^(a) keep my words and store up my commands within you.

Keep my commands and you will live;^(b) guard my teachings as the apple of your eye.

Bind them on your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart.^(c)

Say to wisdom, "You are my sister," and to insight, "You are my relative."

They will keep you from the adulterous woman, from the wayward woman with her seductive words.^(d)

At the window of my house I looked down through the lattice.

I saw among the simple, I noticed among the young men, a youth who had no sense.^(e)

He was going down the street near her corner, walking along in the direction of her house

at twilight,^(f) as the day was fading, as the dark of night set in.

Then out came a woman to meet him, dressed like a prostitute and with crafty intent.

(She is unruly^(g) and defiant, her feet never stay at home;

now in the street, now in the squares, at every corner she lurks.)^(h)

She took hold of him⁽ⁱ⁾ and kissed him and with a brazen face she said:^(j)

"Today I fulfilled my vows, and I have food from my fellowship offering^(k) at home.

So I came out to meet you; I looked for you and have found you!

I have covered my bed with colored linens from Egypt.

I have perfumed my bed^(l) with myrrh,^(m) aloes and cinnamon.

Come, let's drink deeply of love till morning; let's enjoy ourselves with love!⁽ⁿ⁾

My husband is not at home; he has gone on a long journey.

He took his purse filled with money and will not be home till full moon."

With persuasive words she led him astray; she seduced him with her smooth talk.^(o)

All at once he followed her like an ox going to the slaughter, like a deer^[a] stepping into a noose^[b](p)

till an arrow pierces^(q) his liver, like a bird darting into a snare, little knowing it will cost him his life.^(r)

Now then, my sons, listen^(s) to me; pay attention to what I say.

Do not let your heart turn to her ways or stray into her paths.^(t)

Many are the victims she has brought down; her slain are a mighty throng.

Her house is a highway to the grave, leading down to the chambers of death.^(u)

Does not wisdom call out?^(a) Does not understanding raise her voice?

At the highest point along the way, where the paths meet, she takes her stand;

beside the gate leading into the city, at the entrance, she cries aloud:^(b)

"To you, O people, I call out;^(c) I raise my voice to all mankind.

You who are simple,^(d) gain prudence;^(e) you who are foolish, set your hearts on it.^[a]

Listen, for I have trustworthy things to say; I open my lips to speak what is right.

My mouth speaks what is true,^(f) for my lips detest wickedness.

All the words of my mouth are just; none of them is crooked or perverse.

To the discerning all of them are right; they are upright to those who have found knowledge.

Choose my instruction instead of silver, knowledge rather than choice gold,^(g)

for wisdom is more precious^(h) than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with her.⁽ⁱ⁾