New American Standard Bible NAS
New International Version NIV
1 My son, keep my words And treasure my commandments within you.
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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 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," And call understanding your intimate friend;
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Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,” and to insight, “You are my relative.”
5 That they may keep you from an adulteress, From the foreigner who flatters 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 out through my lattice,
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At the window of my house I looked down through the lattice.
7 And I saw among the naive, And discerned among the youths A young man lacking sense,
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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 takes 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 , 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, a woman comes to meet him, Dressed as a harlot and cunning 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 boisterous and rebellious, Her feet do not remain at home;
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(She is unruly and defiant, her feet never stay at home;
12 She is now in the streets, now in the squares, And lurks by every corner.
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now in the street, now in the squares, at every corner she lurks.)
13 So she seizes him and kisses him And with a brazen face she says to him:
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She took hold of him and kissed him and with a brazen face she said:
14 "I was due to offer peace offerings; Today I have paid my vows.
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“Today I fulfilled my vows, and I have food from my fellowship offering at home.
15 "Therefore I have come out to meet you, To seek your presence earnestly, 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 have spread my couch with coverings, With colored linens of Egypt.
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I have covered my bed with colored linens from Egypt.
17 "I have 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 us drink our fill of love until morning; Let us delight ourselves with caresses.
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Come, let’s drink deeply of love till morning; let’s enjoy ourselves with love!
19 "For my husband is not at home, He has gone on a long journey;
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My husband is not at home; he has gone on a long journey.
20 He has taken a bag of money with him, At the full moon he will come home."
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He took his purse filled with money and will not be home till full moon.”
21 With her many persuasions she entices him; With her flattering lips she seduces him.
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With persuasive words she led him astray; she seduced him with her smooth talk.
22 Suddenly he follows her As an ox goes to the slaughter, Or as one in fetters to the discipline of a 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 Until an arrow pierces through his liver; As a bird hastens to the snare, So he does not know 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 therefore, my sons, listen to me, And pay attention to the words of my mouth.
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Now then, my sons, listen to me; pay attention to what I say.
25 Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways, Do not stray into her paths.
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Do not let your heart turn to her ways or stray into her paths.
26 For many are the victims she has cast down, And numerous are all her slain.
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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, Descending to the chambers of death.
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Her house is a highway to the grave, leading down to the chambers of death.
New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, California. All rights reserved.
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.