5. Her feet go down to death;her steps lead straight to the grave.
6. She gives no thought to the way of life;her paths wander aimlessly, but she does not know it.
7. Now then, my sons, listen to me;do not turn aside from what I say.
8. Keep to a path far from her,do not go near the door of her house,
9. lest you lose your honour to othersand your dignity to one who is cruel,
10. lest strangers feast on your wealthand your toil enrich the house of another.
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!
13. I would not obey my teachersor turn my ear to my instructors.
14. And I was soon in serious troublein the assembly of God’s people.’
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 be blessed,and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth.
19. A loving doe, a graceful deer –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?