New International Version NIV
Common English Bible CEB
1 My son, pay attention to my wisdom, turn your ear to my words of insight,
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My son, pay attention to my wisdom. Bend your ear to what I know,
2 that you may maintain discretion and your lips may preserve knowledge.
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so you might remain discreet, and your lips might guard knowledge.
3 For the lips of the adulterous woman drip honey, and her speech is smoother than oil;
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The lips of a mysterious woman drip honey, and her tongue is smoother than oil,
4 but in the end she is bitter as gall, sharp as a double-edged sword.
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but in the end she is bitter as gall, sharp as a double-edged sword.
5 Her feet go down to death; her steps lead straight to the grave.
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Her feet go down to death; her steps lead to the grave.
6 She gives no thought to the way of life; her paths wander aimlessly, but she does not know it.
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She doesn't stay on the way of life. Her paths wander, but she doesn't know it.
7 Now then, my sons, listen to me; do not turn aside from what I say.
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Now children, listen to me, and don't deviate from the words of my mouth.
8 Keep to a path far from her, do not go near the door of her house,
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Stay on a path that is far from her; don't approach the entrance to her house.
9 lest you lose your honor to others and your dignity to one who is cruel,
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Otherwise, you will give your strength to others, your years to a cruel person.
10 lest strangers feast on your wealth and your toil enrich the house of another.
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Otherwise, strangers will sap your strength, and your hard work will end up in a foreigner's house.
11 At the end of your life you will groan, when your flesh and body are spent.
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You will groan at the end when your body and flesh are exhausted,
12 You will say, “How I hated discipline! How my heart spurned correction!
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and you say, "How I hated instruction! How my heart despised correction!
13 I would not obey my teachers or turn my ear to my instructors.
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I didn't listen to the voice of my instructor. I didn't obey my teacher.
14 And I was soon in serious trouble in the assembly of God’s people.”
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I'm on the brink of utter ruin in the assembled community."
15 Drink water from your own cistern, running water from your own well.
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Drink water from your own cistern, gushing water from your own well.
16 Should your springs overflow in the streets, your streams of water in the public squares?
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Should your fountains flood outside, streams of water in the public squares?
17 Let them be yours alone, never to be shared with strangers.
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They are yours alone, not for you as well as strangers.
18 May your fountain be blessed, and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth.
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May your spring be blessed. Rejoice in the wife of your youth.
19 A loving doe, a graceful deer— may her breasts satisfy you always, may you ever be intoxicated with her love.
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She is a lovely deer, a graceful doe. Let her breasts intoxicate you all the time; always be drunk on her love.
20 Why, my son, be intoxicated with another man’s wife? Why embrace the bosom of a wayward woman?
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Why, my son, should you lose your senses with a mysterious woman and embrace the breasts of a foreign female?
21 For your ways are in full view of the LORD, and he examines all your paths.
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The LORD's eyes watch over every person's path, observing all their ways.
22 The evil deeds of the wicked ensnare them; the cords of their sins hold them fast.
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The wicked will be caught by their own evil acts, grabbed by the ropes of their own sin.
23 For lack of discipline they will die, led astray by their own great folly.
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Those without instruction will die, misled by their own stupidity.
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.
Copyright © 2011 Common English Bible