1 My child, remember what I say and never forget what I tell you to do. 2 Do what I say, and you will live. Be as careful to follow my teaching as you are to protect your eyes. 3 Keep my teaching with you all the time; write it on your heart. 4 Treat wisdom as your sister, and insight as your closest friend. 5 They will keep you away from other men's wives, from women with seductive words.
The Immoral Woman
6 Once I was looking out the window of my house, 7 and I saw many inexperienced young men, but noticed one foolish fellow in particular. 8 He was walking along the street near the corner where a certain woman lived. He was passing near her house 9 in the evening after it was dark. 10 And then she met him; she was dressed like a prostitute and was making plans. 11 She was a bold and shameless woman who always walked the streets 12 or stood waiting at a corner, sometimes in the streets, sometimes in the marketplace. 13 She threw her arms around the young man, kissed him, looked him straight in the eye, and said, 14 “I made my offerings today and have the meat from the sacrifices. 15 So I came out looking for you. I wanted to find you, and here you are! 16 I've covered my bed with sheets of colored linen from Egypt. 17 I've perfumed it with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. 18 Come on! Let's make love all night long. We'll be happy in each other's arms. 19 My husband isn't at home. He's on a long trip. 20 He took plenty of money with him and won't be back for two weeks.” 21 So she tempted him with her charms, and he gave in to her smooth talk. 22 Suddenly he was going with her like an ox on the way to be slaughtered, like a deer prancing into a trap 23 where an arrow would pierce its heart. He was like a bird going into a net—he did not know that his life was in danger.
24 Now then, sons, listen to me. Pay attention to what I say. 25 Do not let such a woman win your heart; don't go wandering after her. 26 She has been the ruin of many men and caused the death of too many to count. 27 If you go to her house, you are on the way to the world of the dead. It is a shortcut to death.
1 إحفَظْ كلامي يا ابْني،
وصُنْ وصايايَ عِندَكَ.
2 إحفَظْ وصايايَ فتَحيا.
ونصيحَتي كحَدَقةِ عَينِكَ.
3 أُعقُدْها على أصابعِ يدَيكَ،
واكتُبْها على لَوحِ قلبِكَ.
4 قُلْ لِلحِكمةِ أنتِ أُختي،
وادْعُ الفِطنَةَ مِنْ مَعارِفِكَ،
5 فتَحرُسَكَ مِنَ المرأةِ العاهِرةِ
مِنَ الفاجِرةِ المعسُولَةِ الكَلامِ.
6 تطَلَّعتُ مِنْ كُوَّةِ بَيتي،
ومِنْ وراءِ شُبَّاكي نظَرتُ،
7 فرَأيتُ بَينَ الجُهَّالِ
وتَبَيَّنتُ بَينَ الأغرارِ
فتَى يُعوِزُهُ الفهْمُ
8 يعبُرُ السُّوقَ عِندَ الزَّاويةِ،
وفي طريقِ بَيتِها يصعَدُ.
9 كانَ ذلِكَ عِندَ الغُروبِ
في سَواد اللَّيلِ بَعدَ الأفُولِ.
10 فإذا بِامرأةٍ تـتَلَقَّاهُ،
في زِيِّ زانيةٍ جامِحةِ الهوَى،
11 جامحةٍ كثيرةِ التَّنَقُّلِ،
لا تستَقِرُّ في بَيتِها قدَماها.
12 مرَّةً في الشَّارِعِ ومرَّةً في السَّاحاتِ،
وتكمُنُ عِندَ كُلِّ زاويةٍ.
13 فأمسَكَتْهُ وأخذَت تُقبِّلُهُ،
وبصفاقةِ وجهٍ قالَت لهُ:
14 «ذَبائحُ السَّلامةِ قَدَّمْتُها،
واليومَ أَوفَيتُ نُذوري،
15 فخَرَجْتُ في الحالِ أُنادِيكَ
شَوقا إلى وجهِكَ فوَجَدتُكَ.
16 فرَشْتُ بالكَتَّانِ سريري،
وخُيوطُ نسيجِهِ مِنْ مِصْرَ.
17 مَضجَعي عَطَّرتُهُ بالمُرِّ،
وضَمَّخْتُهُ بالعُودِ والقِرفَةِ.
18 تعالَ فنَرتَويَ حُبًّا إلى الصُّبحِ،
ونَنعمَ بِلَذائِذِ الحُبِّ.
19 زوجي غائبٌ عَنِ البَيتِ.
مضَى في سفَرٍ طويلٍ.
20 أخذَ كيسا مِنَ الفِضَّةِ،
ولا يعودُ قَبلَ أيّامٍ كثيرةٍ».
21 فجَذَبَتْهُ بِكثرَةِ مَفاتِنِها،
ودَوَّخَتْهُ بِمَعسولِ كلامِها،
22 فمَشى وراءَها في الحالِ،
كثورٍ يُسَاقُ إلى الذَّبحِ،
أو غزالٍ يسيرُ إلى الأسْرِ.
23 حتّى يَشُقَّ كَبِدَهُ السَّهمُ،
أو كعُصفُورٍ يُسرِعُ إلى الفَخِّ
ولا يعرِفُ أنَّهُ في خطَرٍ.
24 فاسمَعوا لي أيُّها الأبناءُ
وأصغوا إلى كَلِماتِ فَمـي!
25 لا تَمِلْ قُلوبُكُم إلى طُرُقِها،
وفي مَسالِكِها لا تَشرُدوا.
26 كم أوقَعَت بأولادِ الحلالِ،
وجميعُ ضحاياها مِنَ العُظَماءِ.
27 بَيتُها طريقٌ إلى عالَمِ الأمواتِ
وهُبوطٌ إلى دَهاليزِ الموتِ.