¹My son, pay attention to my wisdom. Turn your ear to my understanding:

¹Mærk dig, min Søn, min Visdom, bøj til min Indsigt dit Øre,

²that you may maintain discretion, that your lips may preserve knowledge.

²at Kløgt må våge øver dig, Læbernes kundskab vare på dig.

³For the lips of an adulteress drip honey. Her mouth is smoother than oil,

³Thi af Honning drypper den fremmedes Læber, glattere end Olie er hendes Gane;

⁴But in the end she is as bitter as wormwood, and as sharp as a two-edged sword.

⁴men til sidst er hun besk som Malurt, hvas som tveægget Sværd;

⁵Her feet go down to death. Her steps lead straight to Sheol Sheol is the place of the dead. .

⁵hendes Fødder styrer nedad mod Døden, til Dødsriget stunder hendes Fjed;

⁶She gives no thought to the way of life. Her ways are crooked, and she doesn’t know it.

⁶hun følger ej Livets Vej, hendes Spor er bugtet, hun ved det ikke.

⁷Now therefore, my sons, listen to me. Don’t depart from the words of my mouth.

⁷Hør mig da nu, min Søn, vig ikke fra min Munds Ord!

⁸Remove your way far from her. Don’t come near the door of her house,

⁸Lad din Vej være langt fra hende, kom ej hendes Husdør nær,

⁹lest you give your honor to others, and your years to the cruel one;

⁹at du ikke må give andre din Ære, en grusom Mand dine År.

¹⁰lest strangers feast on your wealth, and your labors enrich another man’s house.

¹⁰at ikke dit Gods skal mætte fremmede, din Vinding ende i Andenmands Hus,

¹¹You will groan at your latter end, when your flesh and your body are consumed,

¹¹så du gribes af Anger til sidst, når dit Kød og Huld svinder hen,

¹²and say, “How I have hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof;

¹²og du siger: "Ak, at jeg hadede Tugt, at mit Hjerte lod hånt om Revselse,

¹³neither have I obeyed the voice of my teachers, nor turned my ear to those who instructed me!

¹³så jeg ikke lød mine Læreres Røst, ej bøjed mit Øre til dem, som lærte mig!

¹⁴I have come to the brink of utter ruin, in the midst of the gathered assembly.”

¹⁴Nær var jeg kommet i alskens Ulykke midt i Forsamling og Menighed!"

¹⁵Drink water out of your own cistern, running water out of your own well.

¹⁵Drik Vand af din egen Cisterne og rindende Vand af din Brønd;

¹⁶Should your springs overflow in the streets, streams of water in the public squares?

¹⁶lad ej dine Kilder flyde på Gaden, ej dine Bække på Torvene!

¹⁷Let them be for yourself alone, not for strangers with you.

¹⁷Dig skal de tilhøre, dig alene, ingen fremmed ved Siden af dig!

¹⁸Let your spring be blessed. Rejoice in the wife of your youth.

¹⁸Velsignet være dit Væld, og glæd dig ved din Ungdoms Hustru,

¹⁹A loving doe and a graceful deer— let her breasts satisfy you at all times. Be captivated always with her love.

¹⁹den elskelige Hind, den yndige Gazel; hendes Elskov fryde dig stedse, berus dig altid i hendes Kærlighed!

²⁰For why should you, my son, be captivated with an adulteress? Why embrace the bosom of another?

²⁰Hvi beruser du dig, min Søn, i en fremmed og tager en andens Hustru i Favn?

²¹For the ways of man are before the eyes of Yahweh. He examines all his paths.

²¹Thi for HERRENs Øjne er Menneskets Veje, grant følger han alle dets Spor;

²²The evil deeds of the wicked ensnare him. The cords of his sin hold him firmly.

²²den gudløse fanges af egen Brøde og holdes fast i Syndens Reb;

²³He will die for lack of instruction. In the greatness of his folly, he will go astray.

²³han dør af Mangel på Tugt, går til ved sin store Dårskab.