1 My son, pay attention to my wisdom.
Turn your ear to my understanding,
2 that you may maintain discretion,
that your lips may preserve knowledge.
3 For the lips of an adulteress drip honey.
Her mouth is smoother than oil,
4 but in the end she is as bitter as wormwood,
and as sharp as a two-edged sword.
5 Her feet go down to death.
Her steps lead straight to Sheol.
6 She gives no thought to the way of life.
Her ways are crooked, and she doesn’t know it.
7 Now therefore, my sons, listen to me.
Don’t depart from the words of my mouth.
8 Remove your way far from her.
Don’t come near the door of her house,
9 lest you give your honor to others,
and your years to the cruel one;
10 lest strangers feast on your wealth,
and your labors enrich another man’s house.
11 You will groan at your latter end,
when your flesh and your body are consumed,
12 and say, "How I have hated instruction,
and my heart despised reproof.
13 I haven’t obeyed the voice of my teachers,
nor turned my ear to those who instructed me!
14 I have come to the brink of utter ruin,
among the gathered assembly."
15 Drink water out of your own cistern,
running water out of your own well.
16 Should your springs overflow in the streets,
streams of water in the public squares?
17 Let them be for yourself alone,
not for strangers with you.
18 Let your spring be blessed.
Rejoice in the wife of your youth.
19 A loving doe and a graceful deer—
let her breasts satisfy you at all times.
Be captivated always with her love.
20 For why should you, my son, be captivated with an adulteress?
Why embrace the bosom of another?
21 For the ways of man are before Yahweh’s eyes.
He examines all his paths.
22 The evil deeds of the wicked ensnare him.
The cords of his sin hold him firmly.
23 He will die for lack of instruction.
In the greatness of his folly, he will go astray.
1 我儿， 要留心听我的智慧， 侧耳听我的哲理，
2 好让你持守明辨的态度， 你的嘴唇谨守知识。
3 因为淫妇的嘴唇滴下蜂蜜， 她的口比油更滑；
4 至终却苦似苦菫， 快如两刃的剑。
5 她的脚走下死地， 她的脚步踏向阴间。
6 她不理会生命之路， 她的路径变迁无定， 自己也不知道。
7 孩子们， 现在要听从我， 不可离弃我口中的话。
8 你的道路要远离她， 不可走近她的家门；
9 免得你的精力给了别人， 你的年日交给了残忍的人；
10 免得外人饱享你的财物， 你劳碌得来的归入别人的家。
11 在你生命终结， 你的肉体和身躯衰残的时候， 你就悲叹，
12 说： "我为什么恨恶管教， 我的心为什么轻视责备，
13 不听从我老师的话， 也不留心听那些教导我的人。
14 在众民的集会中， 我几乎落在万劫不复之地。"
15 你要喝自己池中的水， 饮自己井里的活水。
16 你的泉源怎么可以外溢？你的河水怎么可以流在街上？
17 它们要独归你一人所有， 不要让外人与你共享。
18 要使你的泉源蒙福， 要喜悦你年轻时所娶的妻子。
19 她像可爱的母鹿， 人所喜悦的母山羊， 愿她的乳房时常使你满足， 愿她的爱情常常使你恋慕。
20 我儿， 为什么恋慕淫妇？为什么拥抱妓女的胸怀呢？
21 因为人的道路都在耶和华眼前， 他也审察人的一切路径。
22 恶人必被自己的罪孽捉住， 他必被自己罪恶的绳索缠住。
23 他必因不受管教而死亡， 又因自己过分愚妄而走进歧途。