| World English Bible (WEB) |
New International Version (NIV) |
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1 My son, pay attention to my wisdom. Turn your ear to my understanding:
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1 My son, pay attention to my wisdom, listen well to my words of insight,
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2 That you may maintain discretion, That your lips may preserve knowledge.
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2 that you may maintain discretion and your lips may preserve knowledge.
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3 For the lips of an adulteress drip honey. Her mouth is smoother than oil,
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3 For the lips of an adulteress drip honey, and her speech is smoother than oil;
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4 But in the end she is as bitter as wormwood, And as sharp as a two-edged sword.
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4 but in the end she is bitter as gall, sharp as a double-edged sword.
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5 Her feet go down to death. Her steps lead straight to Sheol.
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5 Her feet go down to death; her steps lead straight to the grave.
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6 She gives no thought to the way of life. Her ways are crooked, and she doesn't know it.
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6 She gives no thought to the way of life; her paths are crooked, but she knows it not.
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7 Now therefore, my sons, listen to me. Don't depart from the words of my mouth.
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7 Now then, my sons, listen to me; do not turn aside from what I say.
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8 Remove your way far from her. Don't come near the door of her house,
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8 Keep to a path far from her, do not go near the door of her house,
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9 Lest you give your honor to others, And your years to the cruel one;
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9 lest you give your best strength to others and your years to one who is cruel,
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10 Lest strangers feast on your wealth, And your labors enrich another man's house.
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10 lest strangers feast on your wealth and your toil enrich another man's house.
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11 You will groan at your latter end, When your flesh and your body are consumed,
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11 At the end of your life you will groan, when your flesh and body are spent.
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12 And say, "How I have hated instruction, And my heart despised reproof;
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12 You will say, "How I hated discipline! How my heart spurned correction!
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13 Neither have I obeyed the voice of my teachers, Nor turned my ear to those who instructed me!
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13 I would not obey my teachers or listen to my instructors.
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14 I have come to the brink of utter ruin, In the midst of the gathered assembly."
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14 I have come to the brink of utter ruin in the midst of the whole assembly."
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15 Drink water out of your own cistern, Running water out of your own well.
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15 Drink water from your own cistern, running water from your own well.
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16 Should your springs overflow in the streets, Streams of water in the public squares?
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16 Should your springs overflow in the streets, your streams of water in the public squares?
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17 Let them be for yourself alone, Not for strangers with you.
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17 Let them be yours alone, never to be shared with strangers.
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18 Let your spring be blessed. Rejoice in the wife of your youth.
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18 May your fountain be blessed, and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth.
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19 A loving hind and a pleasant doe -- Let her breasts satisfy you at all times. Be captivated always with her love.
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19 A loving doe, a graceful deer-- may her breasts satisfy you always, may you ever be captivated by her love.
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20 For why should you, my son, be captivated with an adulteress? Why embrace the bosom of another?
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20 Why be captivated, my son, by an adulteress? Why embrace the bosom of another man's wife?
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21 For the ways of man are before the eyes of Yahweh. He examines all his paths.
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21 For a man's ways are in full view of the LORD, and he examines all his paths.
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22 The evil deeds of the wicked ensnare him. The cords of his sin hold him firmly.
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22 The evil deeds of a wicked man ensnare him; the cords of his sin hold him fast.
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23 He will die for lack of instruction. In the greatness of his folly, he will go astray.
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23 He will die for lack of discipline, led astray by his own great folly.
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| The World English Bible is in the public domain. (The World English Bible Online) |
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide. (New International Version Bible Online) |
