Study Desk

My son, ^(C1)keep my words And treasure my commandments within you.

^(C1)Keep my commandments and live, And my ^(F1)teaching ^(C2)as the ^(F2)apple of your eye.

^(C1)Bind them on your fingers; ^(C2)Write them on the tablet of your heart.

Say to wisdom, "You are my sister," And call understanding your intimate friend,

So that they may keep you from an ^(F1)adulteress, From the foreigner who flatters with her words.

For ^(C1)at the window of my house I looked out ^(C2)through my lattice,

And I saw among the ^(C1)naive, And discerned among the ^(F1)youths A young man ^(C2)lacking ^(F2)sense,

Passing through the street near ^(C1)her corner; And he walks along the way to ^(C2)her house,

In the ^(C1)twilight, in the ^(F1)evening, In the ^(F2)middle of the night and the darkness.

And behold, a woman comes to meet him, ^(C1)Dressed as a prostitute and cunning of heart.

She is ^(C1)boisterous and rebellious, Her ^(C2)feet do not remain at home;

She is now in the streets, now ^(C1)in the public squares, And ^(C2)lurks by every corner.

So she seizes him and kisses him, ^(F1)And with a ^(C1)brazen face she says to him:

"^(F1)I was due to offer ^(C1)peace offerings; Today I have ^(C2)paid my vows.

-"Therefore I have come out to meet you, To seek your presence diligently, and I have found you.

-"I have spread my couch with ^(C1)coverings, With colored ^(C2)linens of Egypt.

-"I have sprinkled my bed With ^(C1)myrrh, aloes, and ^(C2)cinnamon.

-"Come, let's drink our fill of love until morning; Let's delight ourselves with caresses.

-"For ^(F1)my husband is not at home; He has gone on a long journey.

-"He has taken a ^(C1)bag of money ^(F1)with him. At the full moon he will come home."

With her many persuasions she entices him; With her ^(F1)(C1)flattering lips she seduces him.

Suddenly he follows her As an ox goes to the slaughter, Or as ^(F1)one walks in ankle bracelets to the discipline of a fool,

Until an arrow pierces through his liver; As a ^(C1)bird hurries to the snare, So he does not know that it will cost him his life.

Now therefore, my sons, ^(C1)listen to me, And pay attention to the words of my mouth.

Do not let your heart ^(C1)turn aside to her ways, Do not stray into her paths.

For many are the ^(F1)victims she has brought to ruin, And ^(C1)numerous are all those slaughtered by her.

Her ^(C1)house is the way to Sheol, Descending to the chambers of death.