English Standard Version ESV
New Living Translation NLT
1 My son, keep my words and treasure up my commandments with you;
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Follow my advice, my son; always treasure my commands.
2 keep my commandments and live; keep my teaching as the apple of your eye;
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Obey my commands and live! Guard my instructions as you guard your own eyes.
3 bind them on your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart.
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Tie them on your fingers as a reminder. Write them deep within your heart.
4 Say to wisdom, “You are my sister, ”and call insight your intimate friend,
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Love wisdom like a sister; make insight a beloved member of your family.
5 to keep you from the forbidden woman, from the adulteress with her smooth words.
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Let them protect you from an affair with an immoral woman, from listening to the flattery of a promiscuous woman.
6 For at the window of my house I have looked out through my lattice,
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While I was at the window of my house, looking through the curtain,
7 and I have seen among the simple, I have perceived among the youths, a young man lacking sense,
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I saw some naive young men, and one in particular who lacked common sense.
8 passing along the street near her corner, taking the road to her house
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He was crossing the street near the house of an immoral woman, strolling down the path by her house.
9 in the twilight, in the evening, at the time of night and darkness.
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It was at twilight, in the evening, as deep darkness fell.
10 And behold, the woman meets him, dressed as a prostitute, wily of heart.
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The woman approached him, seductively dressed and sly of heart.
11 She is loud and wayward; her feet do not stay at home;
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She was the brash, rebellious type, never content to stay at home.
12 now in the street, now in the market, and at every corner she lies in wait.
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She is often in the streets and markets, soliciting at every corner.
13 She seizes him and kisses him, and with bold face she says to him,
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She threw her arms around him and kissed him, and with a brazen look she said,
14 “I had to offer sacrifices, and today I have paid my vows;
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“I’ve just made my peace offerings and fulfilled my vows.
15 so now I have come out to meet you, to seek you eagerly, and I have found you.
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You’re the one I was looking for! I came out to find you, and here you are!
16 I have spread my couch with coverings, colored linens from Egyptian linen;
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My bed is spread with beautiful blankets, with colored sheets of Egyptian linen.
17 I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
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I’ve perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
18 Come, let us take our fill of love till morning; let us delight ourselves with love.
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Come, let’s drink our fill of love until morning. Let’s enjoy each other’s caresses,
19 For my husband is not at home; he has gone on a long journey;
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for my husband is not home. He’s away on a long trip.
20 he took a bag of money with him; at full moon he will come home. ”
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He has taken a wallet full of money with him and won’t return until later this month. ”
21 With much seductive speech she persuades him; with her smooth talk she compels him.
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So she seduced him with her pretty speech and enticed him with her flattery.
22 All at once he follows her, as an ox goes to the slaughter, or as a stag is caught fast
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He followed her at once, like an ox going to the slaughter. He was like a stag caught in a trap,
23 till an arrow pierces its liver; as a bird rushes into a snare; he does not know that it will cost him his life.
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awaiting the arrow that would pierce its heart. He was like a bird flying into a snare, little knowing it would cost him his life.
24 And now, O sons, listen to me, and be attentive to the words of my mouth.
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So listen to me, my sons, and pay attention to my words.
25 Let not your heart turn aside to her ways; do not stray into her paths,
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Don’t let your hearts stray away toward her. Don’t wander down her wayward path.
26 for many a victim has she laid low, and all her slain are a mighty throng.
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For she has been the ruin of many; many men have been her victims.
27 Her house is the way to Sheol, going down to the chambers of death.
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Her house is the road to the grave. Her bedroom is the den of death.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2025
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by
Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.