Good News Translation GNT
World English Bible WEB
1 My child, remember what I say and never forget what I tell you to do.
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My son, keep my words. Lay up my commandments within you.
2 Do what I say, and you will live. Be as careful to follow my teaching as you are to protect your eyes.
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Keep my commandments and live; Guard my teaching as the apple of your eye.
3 Keep my teaching with you all the time; write it on your heart.
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Bind them on your fingers. Write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 Treat wisdom as your sister, and insight as your closest friend.
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Tell wisdom, "You are my sister." Call understanding your relative,
5 They will keep you away from other men's wives, from women with seductive words.
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That they may keep you from the strange woman, From the foreigner who flatters with her words.
6 Once I was looking out the window of my house,
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For at the window of my house, I looked forth through my lattice.
7 and I saw many inexperienced young men, but noticed one foolish fellow in particular.
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I saw among the simple ones. I discerned among the youths a young man void of understanding,
8 He was walking along the street near the corner where a certain woman lived. He was passing near her house
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Passing through the street near her corner, He went the way to her house,
9 in the evening after it was dark.
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In the twilight, in the evening of the day, In the middle of the night and in the darkness.
10 And then she met him; she was dressed like a prostitute and was making plans.
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Behold, there a woman met him with the attire of a prostitute, And with crafty intent.
11 She was a bold and shameless woman who always walked the streets
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She is loud and defiant. Her feet don't stay in her house.
12 or stood waiting at a corner, sometimes in the streets, sometimes in the marketplace.
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Now she is in the streets, now in the squares, And lurking at every corner.
13 She threw her arms around the young man, kissed him, looked him straight in the eye, and said,
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So she caught him, and kissed him. With an impudent face she said to him:
14 "I made my offerings today and have the meat from the sacrifices.
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"Sacrifices of peace-offerings are with me. This day I have paid my vows.
15 So I came out looking for you. I wanted to find you, and here you are!
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Therefore I came out to meet you, To diligently seek your face, And I have found you.
16 I've covered my bed with sheets of colored linen from Egypt.
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I have spread my couch with carpets of tapestry, With striped cloths of the yarn of Egypt.
17 I've perfumed it with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
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I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
18 Come on! Let's make love all night long. We'll be happy in each other's arms.
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Come, let's take our fill of loving until the morning. Let's solace ourselves with loving.
19 My husband isn't at home. He's on a long trip.
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For my husband isn't at home. He has gone on a long journey.
20 He took plenty of money with him and won't be back for two weeks."
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He has taken a bag of money with him. He will come home at the full moon."
21 So she tempted him with her charms, and he gave in to her smooth talk.
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With persuasive words, she led him astray. With the flattering of her lips, she seduced him.
22 Suddenly he was going with her like an ox on the way to be slaughtered, like a deer prancing into a trap
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He followed her immediately, As an ox goes to the slaughter, As a fool stepping into a noose.
23 where an arrow would pierce its heart. He was like a bird going into a net - he did not know that his life was in danger.
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Until an arrow strikes through his liver, As a bird hurries to the snare, And doesn't know that it will cost his life.
24 Now then, sons, listen to me. Pay attention to what I say.
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Now therefore, sons, listen to me. Pay attention to the words of my mouth.
25 Do not let such a woman win your heart; don't go wandering after her.
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Don't let your heart turn to her ways. Don't go astray in her paths,
26 She has been the ruin of many men and caused the death of too many to count.
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For she has thrown down many wounded. Yes, all her slain are a mighty host.
27 If you go to her house, you are on the way to the world of the dead. It is a shortcut to death.
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Her house is the way to Sheol, Going down to the chambers of death.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.
The World English Bible is in the public domain.