Mien Sän, hool miene Wead, un doo mien Aunkommendeare bewoare enn die.

Hool mien Aunkommendeare un Läw; un mien Jesats soo aus daut Med fonn en Uag.

Binj dee opp diene Fingasch; schriew dee dol opp diene Hoat Tofle.

Saj to Weisheit, Du best miene Sesta; un nan Festentnis dien Frintschoft;

soo daut dee die kjenne wajch hoole fonn dee framde Fru, fonn dee Framde met schmeijchel Wead.

Dan ekj kjikjt derjch mien Splätetun, no daut Fensta fonn mien Hus,

Un sach mank dee Eenfache; ekj bekjikjt mank dee Säns en junja Maun dee eenfeltijch wea,

dee derjch dee Gauss jinkj dijcht bie äare Akj; un hee jinkj dän Wajch no äa Hus;

bie Tweediesta, oppenowent; auset Schwoat un Nacht Diestanis wea.

10 Un see, ne Hua am to trafe, un en bewoadet Hoat;

11 See es lud en hoatnackijch; äare Feet bliewe nijch enn äa eajnet Hus;

12 nu es see bute, nu enn dee Gausse; un see luat bie jieda Akj;

13 un see jript am un kusst am; see moakt äa Jesejcht hoat un sajcht to am,

14 Opfa un Fräd Opfa sent bie mie, fonndoag ha ekj mien Fespräakje betolt;

15 un soo kjeem ekj rut die to trafe; earnstlijch dien Jesejcht to seakje; un ekj ha die jefunge;

16 Ekj ha miene Benkj bedakjt, met striepjet Zeijch fonn Iejiptischet Leiwent;

17 Ekj ha mien Bad met Mir, Aloe un Kerneel bespretst;

18 Komm, wel wie onns felle met Leew bott dän Morje; wel wie onns fejneaje met Hauje.

19 Dan mien Maun es nijch tus, hee es wajch jegone, wiet auf;

20 Hee haft ne Tausch met Selwa enn siene Haunt jenome; he woat trigj kome wan daut Follmon es.

21 Met äare fäl Wead muak see am toojäwe; see deed am bedwinje met daut Schmeijchle fonn äare Leppe.

22 Hee jeit ar fuats hinjaraun, soo aus en Oss no dee Schlachtbenkj jeit; oda soo aus eena dee enn Kjäde jeit no daut Febätrunj fonn en Noa;

23 bott en Boagefiel am traft derjch sien Läwe; soo aus en Foagel pienijch no dee Schlenj rant, un weet nijch dautet fa siene Seel es.

24 Nu dan, horjcht no mie, O Säns; un jäft Acht opp miene Wead.

25 Lot dien Hoat nijch auntsied dreihe no äare Wäaj; doo nijch erre enn äa Stijch.

26 Dan fäl sent dee, dee fewunt sent worde derjch ar; un fäl dee ommjekome sent.

27 Dee Scheol Wäaj sent enn äa Hus, dee rauf leide no dee Doodje äare Stowe.

Warning Against the Adulterous Woman

My son,(A) keep my words
    and store up my commands within you.
Keep my commands and you will live;(B)
    guard my teachings as the apple of your eye.
Bind them on your fingers;
    write them on the tablet of your heart.(C)
Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,”
    and to insight, “You are my relative.”
They will keep you from the adulterous woman,
    from the wayward woman with her seductive words.(D)

At the window of my house
    I looked down through the lattice.
I saw among the simple,
    I noticed among the young men,
    a youth who had no sense.(E)
He was going down the street near her corner,
    walking along in the direction of her house
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)

Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 7:22 Syriac (see also Septuagint); Hebrew fool
  2. Proverbs 7:22 The meaning of the Hebrew for this line is uncertain.