American Standard Version ASV
New International Version NIV
1 My son, keep my words, And lay up my commandments with thee.
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My son, keep my words and store up my commands within you.
2 Keep my commandments and live; And my law as the apple of thine eye.
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Keep my commands and you will live; guard my teachings as the apple of your eye.
3 Bind them upon thy fingers; Write them upon the tablet of thy heart.
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Bind them on your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 Say unto wisdom, Thou art my sister; And call understanding [thy] kinswoman:
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Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,” and to insight, “You are my relative.”
5 That they may keep thee from the strange woman, From he foreigner that flattereth with her words.
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They will keep you from the adulterous woman, from the wayward woman with her seductive words.
6 For at the window of my house I looked forth through my lattice;
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At the window of my house I looked down through the lattice.
7 And I beheld among the simple ones, I discerned among the youths, A young man void of understanding,
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I saw among the simple, I noticed among the young men, a youth who had no sense.
8 Passing through the street near her corner; And he went the way to her house,
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He was going down the street near her corner, walking along in the direction of her house
9 In the twilight, in the evening of the day, In the middle of the night and in the darkness.
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at twilight, as the day was fading, as the dark of night set in.
10 And, behold, there met him a woman With the attire of a harlot, and wily of heart.
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Then out came a woman to meet him, dressed like a prostitute and with crafty intent.
11 She is clamorous and wilful; Her feet abide not in her house:
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(She is unruly and defiant, her feet never stay at home;
12 Now she is in the streets, now in the broad places, And lieth in wait at every corner.
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now in the street, now in the squares, at every corner she lurks.)
13 So she caught him, and kissed him, [And] with an impudent face she said unto him:
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She took hold of him and kissed him and with a brazen face she said:
14 Sacrifices of peace-offerings are with me; This day have I paid my vows.
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“Today I fulfilled my vows, and I have food from my fellowship offering at home.
15 Therefore came I forth to meet thee, Diligently to seek thy face, and I have found thee.
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So I came out to meet you; I looked for you and have found you!
16 I have spread my couch with carpets of tapestry, With striped cloths of the yarn of Egypt.
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I have covered my bed with colored linens from Egypt.
17 I have perfumed my bed With myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
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I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes and cinnamon.
18 Come, let us take our fill of love until the morning; Let us solace ourselves with loves.
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Come, let’s drink deeply of love till morning; let’s enjoy ourselves with love!
19 For the man is not at home; He is gone a long journey:
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My husband is not at home; he has gone on a long journey.
20 He hath taken a bag of money with him; He will come home at the full moon.
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He took his purse filled with money and will not be home till full moon.”
21 With her much fair speech she causeth him to yield; With the flattering of her lips she forceth him along.
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With persuasive words she led him astray; she seduced him with her smooth talk.
22 He goeth after her straightway, As an ox goeth to the slaughter, Or as [one in] fetters to the correction of the fool;
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All at once he followed her like an ox going to the slaughter, like a deer stepping into a noose
23 Till an arrow strike through his liver; As a bird hasteth to the snare, And knoweth not that it is for his life.
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till an arrow pierces his liver, like a bird darting into a snare, little knowing it will cost him his life.
24 Now therefore, [my] sons, hearken unto me, And attend to the words of my mouth.
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Now then, my sons, listen to me; pay attention to what I say.
25 Let not thy heart decline to her ways; Go not astray in her paths.
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Do not let your heart turn to her ways or stray into her paths.
26 For she hath cast down many wounded: Yea, all her slain are a mighty host.
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Many are the victims she has brought down; her slain are a mighty throng.
27 Her house is the way to Sheol, Going down to the chambers of death.
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Her house is a highway to the grave, leading down to the chambers of death.
The American Standard Version 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.