⁶ At the window of my house
    I looked down through the lattice.
⁷ I saw among the simple,
    I noticed among the young men,
    a youth who had no sense.^(E)
8 He was going down the street near her corner,
    walking along in the direction of her house
⁹ at twilight,^(F) as the day was fading,
    as the dark of night set in.

¹⁰ Then out came a woman to meet him,
    dressed like a prostitute and with crafty intent.
¹¹ (She is unruly^(G) and defiant,
    her feet never stay at home;
¹² now in the street, now in the squares,
    at every corner she lurks.)^(H)
13 She took hold of him^(I) and kissed him
    and with a brazen face she said:^(J)

¹⁴ “Today I fulfilled my vows,
    and I have food from my fellowship offering^(K) at home.
¹⁵ So I came out to meet you;
    I looked for you and have found you!
¹⁶ I have covered my bed
    with colored linens from Egypt.
¹⁷ I have perfumed my bed^(L)
    with myrrh,^(M) aloes and cinnamon.
¹⁸ Come, let’s drink deeply of love till morning;
    let’s enjoy ourselves with love!^(N)
19 My husband is not at home;
    he has gone on a long journey.
²⁰ He took his purse filled with money
    and will not be home till full moon.”

²¹ With persuasive words she led him astray;
    she seduced him with her smooth talk.^(O)
22 All at once he followed her
    like an ox going to the slaughter,
like a deer^[a] stepping into a noose^[b](P)
23     till an arrow pierces^(Q) his liver,
like a bird darting into a snare,
    little knowing it will cost him his life.^(R)

²⁴ Now then, my sons, listen^(S) to me;
    pay attention to what I say.
²⁵ Do not let your heart turn to her ways
    or stray into her paths.^(T)
26 Many are the victims she has brought down;
    her slain are a mighty throng.
²⁷ Her house is a highway to the grave,
    leading down to the chambers of death.^(U)

¹² “I, wisdom, dwell together with prudence;
    I possess knowledge and discretion.^(J)
13 To fear the Lord^(K) is to hate evil;^(L)
    I hate^(M) pride and arrogance,
    evil behavior and perverse speech.
¹⁴ Counsel and sound judgment are mine;
    I have insight, I have power.^(N)
15 By me kings reign
    and rulers^(O) issue decrees that are just;
¹⁶ by me princes govern,^(P)
    and nobles—all who rule on earth.^[b]
17 I love those who love me,^(Q)
    and those who seek me find me.^(R)
18 With me are riches and honor,^(S)
    enduring wealth and prosperity.^(T)
19 My fruit is better than fine gold;^(U)
    what I yield surpasses choice silver.^(V)
20 I walk in the way of righteousness,^(W)
    along the paths of justice,
²¹ bestowing a rich inheritance on those who love me
    and making their treasuries full.^(X)

²² “The Lord brought me forth as the first of his works,^[c][d]
    before his deeds of old;
²³ I was formed long ages ago,
    at the very beginning, when the world came to be.
²⁴ When there were no watery depths, I was given birth,
    when there were no springs overflowing with water;^(Y)
25 before the mountains were settled in place,^(Z)
    before the hills, I was given birth,^(AA)
26 before he made the world or its fields
    or any of the dust of the earth.^(AB)
27 I was there when he set the heavens in place,^(AC)
    when he marked out the horizon^(AD) on the face of the deep,
²⁸ when he established the clouds above^(AE)
    and fixed securely the fountains of the deep,^(AF)
29 when he gave the sea its boundary^(AG)
    so the waters would not overstep his command,^(AH)
and when he marked out the foundations of the earth.^(AI)
30     Then I was constantly^[e] at his side.^(AJ)
I was filled with delight day after day,
    rejoicing always in his presence,
³¹ rejoicing in his whole world
    and delighting in mankind.^(AK)

³² “Now then, my children, listen^(AL) to me;
    blessed are^(AM) those who keep my ways.^(AN)
33 Listen to my instruction and be wise;
    do not disregard it.
³⁴ Blessed are those who listen^(AO) to me,
    watching daily at my doors,
    waiting at my doorway.
³⁵ For those who find me^(AP) find life^(AQ)
    and receive favor from the Lord.^(AR)
36 But those who fail to find me harm themselves;^(AS)
    all who hate me love death.”^(AT)

⁷ Whoever corrects a mocker invites insults;
    whoever rebukes the wicked incurs abuse.^(L)
8 Do not rebuke mockers^(M) or they will hate you;
    rebuke the wise and they will love you.^(N)
9 Instruct the wise and they will be wiser still;
    teach the righteous and they will add to their learning.^(O)

¹⁰ The fear of the Lord^(P) is the beginning of wisdom,
    and knowledge of the Holy One^(Q) is understanding.^(R)
11 For through wisdom^[b] your days will be many,
    and years will be added to your life.^(S)
12 If you are wise, your wisdom will reward you;
    if you are a mocker, you alone will suffer.

¹³ Folly is an unruly woman;^(T)
    she is simple and knows nothing.^(U)
14 She sits at the door of her house,
    on a seat at the highest point of the city,^(V)
15 calling out^(W) to those who pass by,
    who go straight on their way,
¹⁶     “Let all who are simple come to my house!”
To those who have no sense^(X) she says,
¹⁷     “Stolen water is sweet;
    food eaten in secret is delicious!^(Y)”
¹⁸ But little do they know that the dead are there,
    that her guests are deep in the realm of the dead.^(Z)

“I will have mercy on whom I have mercy,
    and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”^[f](AE)

“I will call them ‘my people’ who are not my people;
    and I will call her ‘my loved one’ who is not my loved one,”^[i](AV)

“In the very place where it was said to them,
    ‘You are not my people,’
    there they will be called ‘children of the living God.’”^[j](AW)

“Though the number of the Israelites be like the sand by the sea,^(AX)
    only the remnant will be saved.^(AY)
28 For the Lord will carry out
    his sentence on earth with speed and finality.”^[k](AZ)

“Unless the Lord Almighty^(BA)
    had left us descendants,
we would have become like Sodom,
    we would have been like Gomorrah.”^[l](BB)

“See, I lay in Zion a stone that causes people to stumble
    and a rock that makes them fall,
    and the one who believes in him will never be put to shame.”^[m](BH)