| New Century Version (NCV) |
New International Version (NIV) |
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1 My son, remember what I say, and treasure my commands.
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1 My son, keep my words and store up my commands within you.
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2 Obey my commands, and you will live. Guard my teachings as you would your own eyes.
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2 Keep my commands and you will live; guard my teachings as the apple of your eye.
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3 Remind yourself of them; write them on your heart as if on a tablet.
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3 Bind them on your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart.
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4 Treat wisdom as a sister, and make understanding your closest friend.
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4 Say to wisdom, "You are my sister," and call understanding your kinsman;
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5 Wisdom and understanding will keep you away from adultery, away from the unfaithful wife and her pleasing words.
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5 they will keep you from the adulteress, from the wayward wife with her seductive words.
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6 Once while I was at the window of my house I looked out through the shutters
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6 At the window of my house I looked out through the lattice.
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7 and saw some foolish, young men. I noticed one of them had no wisdom.
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7 I saw among the simple, I noticed among the young men, a youth who lacked judgment.
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8 He was walking down the street near the corner on the road leading to her house.
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8 He was going down the street near her corner, walking along in the direction of her house
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9 It was the twilight of the evening; the darkness of the night was just beginning.
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9 at twilight, as the day was fading, as the dark of night set in.
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10 Then the woman approached him, dressed like a prostitute and planning to trick him.
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10 Then out came a woman to meet him, dressed like a prostitute and with crafty intent.
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11 She was loud and stubborn and never stayed at home.
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11 (She is loud and defiant, her feet never stay at home;
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12 She was always out in the streets or in the city squares, waiting around on the corners of the streets.
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12 now in the street, now in the squares, at every corner she lurks.)
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13 She grabbed him and kissed him. Without shame she said to him,
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13 She took hold of him and kissed him and with a brazen face she said:
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14 "I made my fellowship offering and took some of the meat home. Today I have kept my special promises.
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14 "I have fellowship offerings at home; today I fulfilled my vows.
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15 So I have come out to meet you; I have been looking for you and have found you.
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15 So I came out to meet you; I looked for you and have found you!
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16 I have covered my bed with colored sheets from Egypt.
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16 I have covered my bed with colored linens from Egypt.
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17 I have made my bed smell sweet with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
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17 I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes and cinnamon.
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18 Come, let's make love until morning. Let's enjoy each other's love.
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18 Come, let's drink deep of love till morning; let's enjoy ourselves with love!
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19 My husband is not home; he has gone on a long trip.
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19 My husband is not at home; he has gone on a long journey.
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20 He took a lot of money with him and won't be home for weeks."
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20 He took his purse filled with money and will not be home till full moon."
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21 By her clever words she made him give in; by her pleasing words she led him into doing wrong.
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21 With persuasive words she led him astray; she seduced him with her smooth talk.
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22 All at once he followed her, like an ox led to the butcher, like a deer caught in a trap
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22 All at once he followed her like an ox going to the slaughter, like a deer stepping into a noose
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23 and shot through the liver with an arrow. Like a bird caught in a trap, he didn't know what he did would kill him.
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23 till an arrow pierces his liver, like a bird darting into a snare, little knowing it will cost him his life.
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24 Now, my sons, listen to me; pay attention to what I say.
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24 Now then, my sons, listen to me; pay attention to what I say.
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25 Don't let yourself be tricked by such a woman; don't go where she leads you.
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25 Do not let your heart turn to her ways or stray into her paths.
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26 She has ruined many good men, and many have died because of her.
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26 Many are the victims she has brought down; her slain are a mighty throng.
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27 Her house is on the road to death, the road that leads down to the grave.
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27 Her house is a highway to the grave, leading down to the chambers of death.
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| Scripture taken from the New Century Version. Copyright © 1987, 1988, 1991 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. (New Century Version Online Bible) |
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) |
