Young's Literal Translation YLT
New International Version NIV
20 Keep, my son, the command of thy father, And leave not the law of thy mother.
20
My son, keep your father’s command and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.
21 Bind them on thy heart continually, Tie them on thy neck.
21
Bind them always on your heart; fasten them around your neck.
22 In thy going up and down, it leadeth thee, In thy lying down, it watcheth over thee, And thou hast awaked -- it talketh [with] thee.
22
When you walk, they will guide you; when you sleep, they will watch over you; when you awake, they will speak to you.
23 For a lamp [is] the command, And the law a light, And a way of life [are] reproofs of instruction,
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For this command is a lamp, this teaching is a light, and correction and instruction are the way to life,
24 To preserve thee from an evil woman, From the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman.
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keeping you from your neighbor’s wife, from the smooth talk of a wayward woman.
25 Desire not her beauty in thy heart, And let her not take thee with her eyelids.
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Do not lust in your heart after her beauty or let her captivate you with her eyes.
26 For a harlot consumeth unto a cake of bread, And an adulteress the precious soul hunteth.
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For a prostitute can be had for a loaf of bread, but another man’s wife preys on your very life.
27 Doth a man take fire into his bosom, And are his garments not burnt?
27
Can a man scoop fire into his lap without his clothes being burned?
28 Doth a man walk on the hot coals, And are his feet not scorched?
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Can a man walk on hot coals without his feet being scorched?
29 So [is] he who hath gone in unto the wife of his neighbour, None who doth touch her is innocent.
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So is he who sleeps with another man’s wife; no one who touches her will go unpunished.
30 They do not despise the thief, When he stealeth to fill his soul when he is hungry,
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People do not despise a thief if he steals to satisfy his hunger when he is starving.
31 And being found he repayeth sevenfold, All the substance of his house he giveth.
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Yet if he is caught, he must pay sevenfold, though it costs him all the wealth of his house.
32 He who committeth adultery [with] a woman lacketh heart, He is destroying his soul who doth it.
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But a man who commits adultery has no sense; whoever does so destroys himself.
33 A stroke and shame he doth find, And his reproach is not wiped away,
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Blows and disgrace are his lot, and his shame will never be wiped away.
34 For jealousy [is] the fury of a man, And he doth not spare in a day of vengeance.
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For jealousy arouses a husband’s fury, and he will show no mercy when he takes revenge.
35 He accepteth not the appearance of any atonement, Yea, he doth not consent, Though thou dost multiply bribes!
35
He will not accept any compensation; he will refuse a bribe, however great it is.
Young's Literal Translation is in the public domain.
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.