New International Version NIV
Douay-Rheims Catholic Bible RHE
1 My son, keep my words and store up my commands within you.
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My son, keep my words, and lay up my precepts with thee. Son,
2 Keep my commands and you will live; guard my teachings as the apple of your eye.
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Keep my commandments, and thou shalt live: and my law as the apple of thy eye:
3 Bind them on your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart.
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Bind it upon thy fingers, write it upon the tables of thy heart.
4 Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,” and to insight, “You are my relative.”
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Say to wisdom: Thou art my sister: and call prudence thy friend,
5 They will keep you from the adulterous woman, from the wayward woman with her seductive words.
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That she may keep thee from the woman that is not thine, and from the stranger who sweeteneth her words.
6 At the window of my house I looked down through the lattice.
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For I looked out of the window of my house through the lattice,
7 I saw among the simple, I noticed among the young men, a youth who had no sense.
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And I see little ones, I behold a foolish young man,
8 He was going down the street near her corner, walking along in the direction of her house
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Who passeth through the street by the corner, and goeth nigh the way of her house,
9 at twilight, as the day was fading, as the dark of night set in.
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In the dark when it grows late, in the darkness and obscurity of the night.
10 Then out came a woman to meet him, dressed like a prostitute and with crafty intent.
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And behold a woman meeteth him in harlot’s attire, prepared to deceive souls: talkative and wandering,
11 (She is unruly and defiant, her feet never stay at home;
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Not bearing to be quiet, not able to abide still at home,
12 now in the street, now in the squares, at every corner she lurks.)
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Now abroad, now in the streets, now lying in wait near the corners.
13 She took hold of him and kissed him and with a brazen face she said:
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And catching the young man, she kisseth him, and with an impudent face, flattereth, saying:
14 “Today I fulfilled my vows, and I have food from my fellowship offering at home.
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I vowed victims for prosperity, this day I have paid my vows.
15 So I came out to meet you; I looked for you and have found you!
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Therefore I am come out to meet thee, desirous to see thee, and I have found thee.
16 I have covered my bed with colored linens from Egypt.
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I have woven my bed with cords, I have covered it with painted tapestry, brought from Egypt.
17 I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes and cinnamon.
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I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.
18 Come, let’s drink deeply of love till morning; let’s enjoy ourselves with love!
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Come, let us be inebriated with the breasts, and let us enjoy the desired embraces, till the day appear.
19 My husband is not at home; he has gone on a long journey.
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For my husband is not at home, he is gone a very long journey.
20 He took his purse filled with money and will not be home till full moon.”
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He took with him a bag of money: he will return home the day of the full moon.
21 With persuasive words she led him astray; she seduced him with her smooth talk.
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She entangled him with many words, and drew him away with the flattery of her lips.
22 All at once he followed her like an ox going to the slaughter, like a deer stepping into a noose
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Immediately he followeth her as an ox led to be a victim, and as a lamb playing the wanton, and not knowing that he is drawn like a fool to bonds,
23 till an arrow pierces his liver, like a bird darting into a snare, little knowing it will cost him his life.
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Till the arrow pierce his liver: as if a bird should make haste to the snare, and knoweth not that his life is in danger.
24 Now then, my sons, listen to me; pay attention to what I say.
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Now, therefore, my son, hear me, and attend to the words of my mouth.
25 Do not let your heart turn to her ways or stray into her paths.
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Let not thy mind be drawn away in her ways: neither be thou deceived with her paths.
26 Many are the victims she has brought down; her slain are a mighty throng.
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For she hath cast down many wounded, and the strongest have been slain by her.
27 Her house is a highway to the grave, leading down to the chambers of death.
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Her house is the way to hell, reaching even to the inner chambers of death.
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.
The Douay-Rheims Bible is in the public domain.