²¹ For I have kept the ways of the Lord;^(A)
    I am not guilty of turning^(B) from my God.
²² All his laws are before me;^(C)
    I have not turned away from his decrees.
²³ I have been blameless^(D) before him
    and have kept myself from sin.
²⁴ The Lord has rewarded me according to my righteousness,^(E)
    according to the cleanness of my hands in his sight.

²⁵ To the faithful^(F) you show yourself faithful,^(G)
    to the blameless you show yourself blameless,
²⁶ to the pure^(H) you show yourself pure,
    but to the devious you show yourself shrewd.^(I)
27 You save the humble^(J)
    but bring low those whose eyes are haughty.^(K)
28 You, Lord, keep my lamp^(L) burning;
    my God turns my darkness into light.^(M)
29 With your help^(N) I can advance against a troop^[a];
    with my God I can scale a wall.

³⁰ As for God, his way is perfect:^(O)
    The Lord’s word is flawless;^(P)
    he shields^(Q) all who take refuge^(R) in him.
³¹ For who is God besides the Lord?^(S)
    And who is the Rock^(T) except our God?
³² It is God who arms me with strength^(U)
    and keeps my way secure.^(V)
33 He makes my feet like the feet of a deer;^(W)
    he causes me to stand on the heights.^(X)
34 He trains my hands for battle;^(Y)
    my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
³⁵ You make your saving help my shield,
    and your right hand sustains^(Z) me;
    your help has made me great.
³⁶ You provide a broad path^(AA) for my feet,
    so that my ankles do not give way.^(AB)

³⁷ I pursued my enemies^(AC) and overtook them;
    I did not turn back till they were destroyed.
³⁸ I crushed them^(AD) so that they could not rise;^(AE)
    they fell beneath my feet.^(AF)
39 You armed me with strength^(AG) for battle;
    you humbled my adversaries^(AH) before me.
⁴⁰ You made my enemies turn their backs^(AI) in flight,
    and I destroyed^(AJ) my foes.
⁴¹ They cried for help, but there was no one to save them^(AK)—
    to the Lord, but he did not answer.^(AL)
42 I beat them as fine as windblown dust;^(AM)
    I trampled them^[b] like mud in the streets.
⁴³ You have delivered me from the attacks of the people;
    you have made me the head of nations.^(AN)
People I did not know^(AO) now serve me,
⁴⁴     foreigners^(AP) cower before me;
    as soon as they hear of me, they obey me.
⁴⁵ They all lose heart;^(AQ)
    they come trembling^(AR) from their strongholds.^(AS)

⁴⁶ The Lord lives!^(AT) Praise be to my Rock!^(AU)
    Exalted be God^(AV) my Savior!^(AW)
47 He is the God who avenges^(AX) me,
    who subdues nations^(AY) under me,
⁴⁸     who saves^(AZ) me from my enemies.^(BA)
You exalted me above my foes;
    from a violent man^(BB) you rescued me.
⁴⁹ Therefore I will praise you, Lord, among the nations;^(BC)
    I will sing^(BD) the praises of your name.^(BE)

⁵⁰ He gives his king great victories;
    he shows unfailing love to his anointed,^(BF)
    to David^(BG) and to his descendants forever.^(BH)

⁶ At the window of my house
    I looked down through the lattice.
⁷ I saw among the simple,
    I noticed among the young men,
    a youth who had no sense.^(E)
8 He was going down the street near her corner,
    walking along in the direction of her house
⁹ 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)