Mien Sän, horjch no miene Weisheit; beaj dien Ua dol no mien Festentnis;

soo daut du miene Jerejchte hoole woascht, un diene Leppe Wissenschoft hoole.

Dan dee framde Fru äare Leppe dreppe met Honnijch, un äa Mul es seeta aus Eelj;

oba nohäa, es see betta aus Wormfros, schoapa aus en tweeschniedjet Schweat.

Äare Feet leide no dän Doot; äare Staupe gone no de Hal.

Soo daut du dän Läwestijch bedenkje sust, äare Staupe waundre – du kaunst dee nijch weete.

Dan heat mie nu, O jie Kjinje, en dreit nijch wajch fonn dee Wead ut mien Mul.

Nem dien Wajch wiet auf fonn ar, un komm nijch dijcht bie dee Däa fonn äa Hus;

soo daut du diene Ea nijch to aundre jefst, un diene Joare to dee ommenschlijche;

10 Soo daut dee framde nijch met dien Rikjdom jefelt woare; un diene Oabeit enn dee Framde äa Hus es.

11 un du stäne sust wan dien Enj kjemt en diene Muskel wajch jefräte sent;

12 un saje: "O woo ekj Unjarecht jehausst ha; un mien Hoat Febätrunj feacht ha;

13 un ekj ha mie nijch doljeboage to miene Leara; oda miene Uare to dän dee mie unjarejchte deede.

14 Ekj wea meist enn aul daut Beeset med mank dee Fesaumlunk un daut toopkome.

15 Drink Wota ut dien eajna Zistra, un ranendet Wota ut dien eajna Borm.

16 Sulle diene äwaranenda Kjwale bute festreit woare, soo aus Riefasch fonn Wota enne Gausse?

17 Lot dee bloos diene eajne senne, un nijch Framde met die;

18 lot diene Kjwal jesäajent senne; un frei die met diene Fru fonn diene Jugent.

19 See es ne leewende Hersch, ne schekjlije Mutta Ree; lot äare Brosste die jiedast mol befrädje, un sie emma bejeistat enn äare Leew.

20 Un mien Sän, wuarom sust du die bejeistre met ne framde Fru, un ne Framde äa Bossem ommoarme?

21 Dan en Maun siene Wäaj sent fer däm Herr Gott siene Uage; un Hee bedenkjt aul sien Gone.

22 Sien eajnet Beeset woat däm Beesa äwenäme; un hee woat jebunje senne met dee Strenj fonn siene Sind.

23 Hee saul stoawe oone Unjarechte; un hee woat febiestre enn daut Grootet fonn siene Noarheit.

Warning Against Adultery

My son,(A) pay attention to my wisdom,
    turn your ear to my words(B) of insight,
that you may maintain discretion
    and your lips may preserve knowledge.
For the lips of the adulterous woman drip honey,
    and her speech is smoother than oil;(C)
but in the end she is bitter as gall,(D)
    sharp as a double-edged sword.
Her feet go down to death;
    her steps lead straight to the grave.(E)
She gives no thought to the way of life;
    her paths wander aimlessly, but she does not know it.(F)

Now then, my sons, listen(G) to me;
    do not turn aside from what I say.
Keep to a path far from her,(H)
    do not go near the door of her house,
lest you lose your honor to others
    and your dignity[a] to one who is cruel,
10 lest strangers feast on your wealth
    and your toil enrich the house of another.(I)
11 At the end of your life you will groan,
    when your flesh and body are spent.
12 You will say, “How I hated discipline!
    How my heart spurned correction!(J)
13 I would not obey my teachers
    or turn my ear to my instructors.
14 And I was soon in serious trouble(K)
    in the assembly of God’s people.”(L)

15 Drink water from your own cistern,
    running water from your own well.
16 Should your springs overflow in the streets,
    your streams of water in the public squares?
17 Let them be yours alone,
    never to be shared with strangers.
18 May your fountain(M) be blessed,
    and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth.(N)
19 A loving doe, a graceful deer(O)
    may her breasts satisfy you always,
    may you ever be intoxicated with her love.
20 Why, my son, be intoxicated with another man’s wife?
    Why embrace the bosom of a wayward woman?

21 For your ways are in full view(P) of the Lord,
    and he examines(Q) all your paths.(R)
22 The evil deeds of the wicked ensnare them;(S)
    the cords of their sins hold them fast.(T)
23 For lack of discipline they will die,(U)
    led astray by their own great folly.(V)

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 5:9 Or years