1 ARST My son, obey what I have told you. Sincerely consider what I have commanded{ you} to be precious. BSB BSB: My son, keep my words and treasure my commandments within you.
2 ARST Do what I have commanded{ you}, so that you will keep on living. Consider the rules I have taught you to be the most precious things you possess. BSB BSB: Keep my commandments and live; guard my teachings as the apple of your eye.
3 ARST { Always remember what I have commanded you as if} it were tied around your fingers. Remember it at all times! BSB BSB: Tie them to your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 ARST Love what is wise as if it were your sister. Indeed, love what you should understand as if it were a close relative. BSB BSB: Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,” and call understanding your kinsman,
5 ARST { Do this} so that you will be able to stay away from adulterous women, and{ stay away} from immoral women who speak{ to you} seductively. BSB BSB: that they may keep you from the adulteress, from the stranger with seductive words.
6 ARST { I was} once{ standing} near the window{ in my house}, and I looked down{ from above the street} through the shutters on the window. BSB BSB: For at the window of my house I looked through the lattice.
7 ARST Then I observed{ someone} among the naive people. I noticed among the youths a young man who does not think wisely. BSB BSB: I saw among the simple, I noticed among the youths, a young man lacking judgment,
8 ARST He walked down the street near the corner of{ the road where} the adulterous woman{ dwells}. Then he walked toward the place where she dwelled. BSB BSB: crossing the street near her corner, strolling down the road to her house,
9 ARST (It was the time of day when night begins,{ and then} it became dark.) BSB BSB: at twilight, as the day was fading into the dark of the night.
10 ARST Suddenly an adulterous woman approached the young man. She was wearing a prostitute’ s clothing and intended to deceive{ the young man}. BSB BSB: Then a woman came out to meet him, with the attire of a harlot and cunning of heart.
11 ARST (That woman spoke loudly and acted rebelliously. She never stayed at home. BSB BSB: She is loud and defiant; her feet do not remain at home.
12 ARST She{ often} walked around the streets and public places. At the corner of any road she waited for someone whom she could seduce.) BSB BSB: Now in the street, now in the squares, she lurks at every corner.
13 ARST When{ she saw the young man}, she firmly took hold of him and kissed him. She shamelessly told{ him}, BSB BSB: She seizes him and kisses him; she brazenly says to him:
14 ARST “Today{ I have meat in my house, because} I sacrificed an animal{ in the temple} to promise friendship{ with Yahweh}.{ In this way} I did what I had vowed to do. BSB BSB: “I have made my peace offerings; today I have paid my vows.
15 ARST So I have come out here to meet you.{ I have come out} to look everywhere for you, and now I have found you! BSB BSB: So I came out to meet you; I sought you, and I have found you.
16 ARST I have covered my bed with expensive Egyptian fabric. BSB BSB: I have decked my bed with coverings, with colored linen from Egypt.
17 ARST I have put pleasant- smelling perfumes on my bed: myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. BSB BSB: I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, with aloes, and with cinnamon.
18 ARST Come{ with me}! Let us satisfy ourselves sexually all night! Let us enjoy ourselves sexually! BSB BSB: Come, let us take our fill of love till morning. Let us delight in loving caresses!
19 ARST { Come with me} because my husband is not at home. He has gone away on a long journey. BSB BSB: For my husband is not at home; he has gone on a long journey.
20 ARST He filled a bag with money and took it with him. He will not return home until the middle of the month.” BSB BSB: He took with him a bag of money and will not return till the moon is full.”
21 ARST { Thus} that adulterous woman persuaded the young man by speaking so persuasively; by speaking seductively she allured him{ into doing what she wanted to do}. BSB BSB: With her great persuasion she entices him; with her flattering lips she lures him.
22 ARST He quickly followed her{ to her home}. He{ unknowingly} went to die like an ox going to the place where its owner will kill it.{ He went to die} like a foolish person{ who goes} in fetters to be punished BSB BSB: He follows her on impulse, like an ox going to the slaughter, like a deer bounding into a trap,
23 ARST until{ someone kills him by} shooting an arrow into his entrails.{ He went to die quickly} like a bird that flies into a trap. He did not realize that going with the adulterous woman would cause him to die. BSB BSB: until an arrow pierces his liver, like a bird darting into a snare—not knowing it will cost him his life.
24 ARST So now, children, pay attention to what I say! Pay careful attention to what I have spoken to you! BSB BSB: Now, my sons, listen to me, and attend to the words of my mouth.
25 ARST Do not decide to do what adulterous women do. Indeed, never act like them! BSB BSB: Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways; do not stray into her paths.
26 ARST { Do not do so} because they have killed many men who are{ now} slain. They have slain so many men! BSB BSB: For she has brought many down to death; her slain are many in number.
27 ARST { Going to} an adulterous woman’ s house is doing something that will result in that person dying.{ Doing that} will result in that person going to the place where the spirits of dead people are. BSB BSB: Her house is the road to Sheol, descending to the chambers of death.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.