Proverbs 5

Bishops^{(i) 1} My sonne geue heede vnto my wisdome, and bowe thyne eare vnto my prudence ² That thou mayest regarde good counsell, and that thy lippes may kepe knowledge ³ For the lippes of a straunge woman are a dropping hony combe, and her throte is more glistering then oyle ⁴ But at the laste she is as bitter as wormewood, and as sharpe as a two edged sworde ⁵ Her feete go downe vnto death, and her steppes pearce thorowe vnto hell ⁶ Perchaunce thou wylt ponder the path of her lyfe: so vnstedfast are her wayes that thou canst not know them ⁷ Heare me nowe therefore O ye chyldren, and depart not from the wordes of my mouth ⁸ Kepe thy way farre from her, & come not nigh the doores of her house ⁹ That thou geue not thy honour vnto other, and thy yeres to the cruell ¹⁰ That other men be not filled with thy vertues, and that thy labours come not in a straunge house ¹¹ Yea, that thou mourne not at the last, when thou hast spent thy bodye and lustie youth, and then say ¹² Alas, why hated I nurture? why did my heart dispise correction ¹³ Wherefore was not I obedient vnto the voyce of my teachers, and hearkened not vnto them that enfourmed me ¹⁴ I was come almost into all misfortune, in the middest of the multitude and congregation ¹⁵ Drinke of the water of thyne owne well, and of the riuers that runne out of thyne owne spring ¹⁶ Let thy welles flowe out abrode, that there may be riuers of waters in the streates ¹⁷ But let them be onlye thyne owne, and not straungers with thee ¹⁸ Let thy well be blessed, and be glad with the wyfe of thy youth ¹⁹ Let her be as the louyng Hinde and pleasaunt Roe: let her breastes alway satisfie thee, and holde thee euer content with her loue ²⁰ Why wylt thou my sonne haue pleasure in a straunge woman, and embrace the bosome of a straunger ²¹ For euery mans wayes are open in the sight of the Lord, and he pondereth all their goynges ²² The wickednes of the vngodly shall catche him selfe, and with the snares of his owne sinne shall he be trapped ²³ He shall dye without amendement, and for his great foolishnes he shall go astray