The Darby Translation DBY
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 teaching, 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 intelligence [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 the stranger who 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 sons, 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 blackness of night and 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 in the attire of a harlot, and subtle 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 unmanageable; her feet abide not in her house:
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(She is unruly and defiant, her feet never stay at home;
12 now without, now in the broadways, -- and she lieth in wait at every corner.
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now in the street, now in the squares, at every corner she lurks.)
13 And she caught him and kissed him, and with an impudent face said unto him,
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She took hold of him and kissed him and with a brazen face she said:
14 I have peace-offerings 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, to seek earnestly 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 decked my bed with tapestry coverlets of variegated linen from Egypt;
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I have covered my bed with colored linens from Egypt.
17 I have perfumed my couch with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
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I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes and cinnamon.
18 Come, let us revel in love until the morning, let us delight 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 husband 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 the money-bag with him, he will come home on the day of 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 enticement she beguiled him; with the smoothness of her lips she constrained him.
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With persuasive words she led him astray; she seduced him with her smooth talk.
22 He went after her straightway, as an ox goeth to the slaughter, and as stocks [serve] for 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 its 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 And now, ye 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, and all slain by her were strong.
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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 Darby 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.