Add parallel Print Page Options

Turn away thy face from a woman well arrayed; and behold thou not about the fairness of another or of another man’s wife. Many men have perished for the fairness of a woman; and thereby covetousness [or lust] burneth on high as fire/and thereby concupiscence burneth out as fire. Each woman which is an whore, either customable to fornication, shall be defouled as a fen, or a turd, in the way [or Each woman that is lecherous, as a thost (or dung) in the way shall be trodden]. Many men wondering on the fairness of an alien woman were made reprovable, for why the speech of her burneth on high as fire.

Sit thou not in any manner with an alien woman, neither rest thou with her on a bed; and jangle thou not with her in wine, lest peradventure thine heart bow into her, and thou fall into perdition by thy blood. [With an alien woman utterly sit thou not, nor lie thou with her upon the arm; and strive thou not with her in wine, lest peradventure she bow down thine heart into her, and by thy blood thou slide into perdition.]

10 Forsake thou not an eld friend; for a new friend shall not be like him. New wine is (like) a new friend; (after) it shall wax eld, and (then) thou shalt drink it with sweetness. [Forsake thou not an old friend; forsooth the new shall not be like to him. New wine a new friend; it shall wax old, and with sweetness thou shalt drink it.]

Read full chapter