English Standard Version ESV
New Revised Standard NRS
1 My son, keep my words and treasure up my commandments with you;
1
My child, keep my words and store up my commandments with you;
2 keep my commandments and live; keep my teaching as the apple of your eye;
2
keep my commandments and live, keep my teachings as the apple of your eye;
3 bind them on your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart.
3
bind them on your fingers, write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 Say to wisdom, “You are my sister, ”and call insight your intimate friend,
4
Say to wisdom, "You are my sister," and call insight your intimate friend,
5 to keep you from the forbidden woman, from the adulteress with her smooth words.
5
that they may keep you from the loose woman, from the adulteress with her smooth words.
6 For at the window of my house I have looked out through my lattice,
6
For at the window of my house I looked out through my lattice,
7 and I have seen among the simple, I have perceived among the youths, a young man lacking sense,
7
and I saw among the simple ones, I observed among the youths, a young man without sense,
8 passing along the street near her corner, taking the road to her house
8
passing along the street near her corner, taking the road to her house
9 in the twilight, in the evening, at the time of night and darkness.
9
in the twilight, in the evening, at the time of night and darkness.
10 And behold, the woman meets him, dressed as a prostitute, wily of heart.
10
Then a woman comes toward him, decked out like a prostitute, wily of heart.
11 She is loud and wayward; her feet do not stay at home;
11
She is loud and wayward; her feet do not stay at home;
12 now in the street, now in the market, and at every corner she lies in wait.
12
now in the street, now in the squares, and at every corner she lies in wait.
13 She seizes him and kisses him, and with bold face she says to him,
13
She seizes him and kisses him, and with impudent face she says to him:
14 “I had to offer sacrifices, and today I have paid my vows;
14
"I had to offer sacrifices, and today I have paid my vows;
15 so now I have come out to meet you, to seek you eagerly, and I have found you.
15
so now I have come out to meet you, to seek you eagerly, and I have found you!
16 I have spread my couch with coverings, colored linens from Egyptian linen;
16
I have decked my couch with coverings, colored spreads of Egyptian linen;
17 I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
17
I have 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.
18
Come, let us take our fill of love until morning; let us delight ourselves with love.
19 For my husband is not at home; he has gone on a long journey;
19
For my husband is not at home; he has gone on a long journey.
20 he took a bag of money with him; at full moon he will come home. ”
20
He took a bag of money with him; he will not come home until full moon."
21 With much seductive speech she persuades him; with her smooth talk she compels him.
21
With much seductive speech she persuades him; with her smooth talk she compels him.
22 All at once he follows her, as an ox goes to the slaughter, or as a stag is caught fast
22
Right away he follows her, and goes like an ox to the slaughter, or bounds like a stag toward the 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.
23
until an arrow pierces its entrails. He is like a bird rushing into a snare, not knowing that it will cost him his life.
24 And now, O sons, listen to me, and be attentive to the words of my mouth.
24
And now, my children, listen to me, and be attentive to the words of my mouth.
25 Let not your heart turn aside to her ways; do not stray into her paths,
25
Do not let your hearts turn aside to her ways; do not stray into her paths.
26 for many a victim has she laid low, and all her slain are a mighty throng.
26
for many are those she has laid low, and numerous are her victims.
27 Her house is the way to Sheol, going down to the chambers of death.
27
Her house is the way to Sheol, going down to the chambers 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
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.