King James Version KJV
Good News Translation GNT
1 My son, keep my words, and lay up my commandments with thee.
1
My child, remember what I say and never forget what I tell you to do.
2 Keep my commandments, and live; and my law as the apple of thine eye.
2
Do what I say, and you will live. Be as careful to follow my teaching as you are to protect your eyes.
3 Bind them upon thy fingers, write them upon the table of thine heart.
3
Keep my teaching with you all the time; write it on your heart.
4 Say unto wisdom, Thou art my sister; and call understanding thy kinswoman:
4
Treat wisdom as your sister, and insight as your closest friend.
5 That they may keep thee from the strange woman, from the stranger which flattereth with her words.
5
They will keep you away from other men's wives, from women with seductive words.
6 For at the window of my house I looked through my casement,
6
Once I was looking out the window of my house,
7 And beheld among the simple ones, I discerned among the youths, a young man void of understanding,
7
and I saw many inexperienced young men, but noticed one foolish fellow in particular.
8 Passing through the street near her corner; and he went the way to her house,
8
He was walking along the street near the corner where a certain woman lived. He was passing near her house
9 In the twilight, in the evening, in the black and dark night:
9
in the evening after it was dark.
10 And, behold, there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot, and subtil of heart.
10
And then she met him; she was dressed like a prostitute and was making plans.
11 (She is loud and stubborn; her feet abide not in her house:
11
She was a bold and shameless woman who always walked the streets
12 Now is she without, now in the streets, and lieth in wait at every corner.)
12
or stood waiting at a corner, sometimes in the streets, sometimes in the marketplace.
13 So she caught him, and kissed him, and with an impudent face said unto him,
13
She threw her arms around the young man, kissed him, looked him straight in the eye, and said,
14 I have peace offerings with me; this day have I payed my vows.
14
"I made my offerings today and have the meat from the sacrifices.
15 Therefore came I forth to meet thee, diligently to seek thy face, and I have found thee.
15
So I came out looking for you. I wanted to find you, and here you are!
16 I have decked my bed with coverings of tapestry, with carved works, with fine linen of Egypt.
16
I've covered my bed with sheets of colored linen from Egypt.
17 I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
17
I've perfumed it with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
18 Come, let us take our fill of love until the morning: let us solace ourselves with loves.
18
Come on! Let's make love all night long. We'll be happy in each other's arms.
19 For the goodman is not at home, he is gone a long journey:
19
My husband isn't at home. He's on a long trip.
20 He hath taken a bag of money with him, and will come home at the day appointed.
20
He took plenty of money with him and won't be back for two weeks."
21 With her much fair speech she caused him to yield, with the flattering of her lips she forced him.
21
So she tempted him with her charms, and he gave in to her smooth talk.
22 He goeth after her straightway, as an ox goeth to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks;
22
Suddenly he was going with her like an ox on the way to be slaughtered, like a deer prancing into a trap
23 Till a dart strike through his liver; as a bird hasteth to the snare, and knoweth not that it is for his life.
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.
24 Hearken unto me now therefore, O ye children, and attend to the words of my mouth.
24
Now then, sons, listen to me. Pay attention to what I say.
25 Let not thine heart decline to her ways, go not astray in her paths.
25
Do not let such a woman win your heart; don't go wandering after her.
26 For she hath cast down many wounded: yea, many strong men have been slain by her.
26
She has been the ruin of many men and caused the death of too many to count.
27 Her house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death.
27
If you go to her house, you are on the way to the world of the dead. It is a shortcut to death.
The King James Version is in the public domain.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.