Common English Bible CEB
New International Version NIV
1 My son, keep my words; store up my commands within you.
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My son, keep my words and store up my commands within you.
2 Keep my commands and live, and my instruction like the pupil of your eye.
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Keep my commands and you will live; guard my teachings as the apple of your eye.
3 Bind them on your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart.
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Bind them on your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 Say to wisdom, "You are my sister"; call understanding "friend,"
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Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,” and to insight, “You are my relative.”
5 so she might guard you against the mysterious woman, from the foreign woman who flatters you.
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They will keep you from the adulterous woman, from the wayward woman with her seductive words.
6 When from the window of my house, from behind the screen, I gazed down,
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At the window of my house I looked down through the lattice.
7 I looked among the naive young men and noticed among the youth, one who had no sense.
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I saw among the simple, I noticed among the young men, a youth who had no sense.
8 He was crossing the street at her corner and walked down the path 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 early evening, at the onset of night and darkness.
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at twilight, as the day was fading, as the dark of night set in.
10 All of a sudden a woman approaches him, dressed like a prostitute and with a cunning mind.
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Then out came a woman to meet him, dressed like a prostitute and with crafty intent.
11 She is noisy and defiant; her feet don't stay long in her own house.
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(She is unruly and defiant, her feet never stay at home;
12 She has one foot in the street, one foot in the public square. She lies in wait at every corner.
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now in the street, now in the squares, at every corner she lurks.)
13 She grabs him and kisses him. Her face is brazen as she speaks to him:
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She took hold of him and kissed him and with a brazen face she said:
14 "I've made a sacrifice of well-being; today I fulfilled my solemn promises.
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“Today I fulfilled my vows, and I have food from my fellowship offering at home.
15 So I've come out to meet you, seeking you, and I have found you.
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So I came out to meet you; I looked for you and have found you!
16 I've spread my bed with luxurious covers, with colored linens from Egypt.
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I have covered my bed with colored linens from Egypt.
17 I've sprinkled my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
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I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes and cinnamon.
18 Come, let's drink deep of love until morning; let's savor our lovemaking.
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Come, let’s drink deeply of love till morning; let’s enjoy ourselves with love!
19 For my husband isn't home; he's gone far away.
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My husband is not at home; he has gone on a long journey.
20 He took a pouch of money with him; he won't come home till full moon."
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He took his purse filled with money and will not be home till full moon.”
21 She seduces him with all her talk. She entices him with her flattery.
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With persuasive words she led him astray; she seduced him with her smooth talk.
22 He goes headlong after her, like an ox to the slaughter, like a deer leaping into a trap,
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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 until an arrow pierces his liver, like a bird hurrying to the snare, not aware that it will cost him 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 children, listen to me, and pay attention to my speech.
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Now then, my sons, listen to me; pay attention to what I say.
25 Don't turn your heart to her ways; don't wander down her paths.
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Do not let your heart turn to her ways or stray into her paths.
26 She has caused many corpses to fall; she has killed many people.
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Many are the victims she has brought down; her slain are a mighty throng.
27 Her house is a path to the grave, 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.
Copyright © 2011 Common English Bible
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.