Douay-Rheims Catholic Bible RHE
New Revised Standard NRS
1 My son, keep my words, and lay up my precepts with thee. Son,
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My child, keep my words and store up my commandments with you;
2 Keep my commandments, and thou shalt live: and my law as the apple of thy eye:
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keep my commandments and live, keep my teachings as the apple of your eye;
3 Bind it upon thy fingers, write it upon the tables of thy heart.
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bind them on your fingers, write them on the tablet of your heart.
4 Say to wisdom: Thou art my sister: and call prudence thy friend,
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Say to wisdom, "You are my sister," and call insight your intimate friend,
5 That she may keep thee from the woman that is not thine, and from the stranger who sweeteneth her words.
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that they may keep you from the loose woman, from the adulteress with her smooth words.
6 For I looked out of the window of my house through the lattice,
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For at the window of my house I looked out through my lattice,
7 And I see little ones, I behold a foolish young man,
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and I saw among the simple ones, I observed among the youths, a young man without sense,
8 Who passeth through the street by the corner, and goeth nigh the way of her house,
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passing along the street near her corner, taking the road to her house
9 In the dark when it grows late, in the darkness and obscurity of the night.
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in the twilight, in the evening, at the time of night and darkness.
10 And behold a woman meeteth him in harlot’s attire, prepared to deceive souls: talkative and wandering,
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Then a woman comes toward him, decked out like a prostitute, wily of heart.
11 Not bearing to be quiet, not able to abide still at home,
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She is loud and wayward; her feet do not stay at home;
12 Now abroad, now in the streets, now lying in wait near the corners.
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now in the street, now in the squares, and at every corner she lies in wait.
13 And catching the young man, she kisseth him, and with an impudent face, flattereth, saying:
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She seizes him and kisses him, and with impudent face she says to him:
14 I vowed victims for prosperity, this day I have paid my vows.
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"I had to offer sacrifices, and today I have paid my vows;
15 Therefore I am come out to meet thee, desirous to see thee, and I have found thee.
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so now I have come out to meet you, to seek you eagerly, and I have found you!
16 I have woven my bed with cords, I have covered it with painted tapestry, brought from Egypt.
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I have decked my couch with coverings, colored spreads of Egyptian linen;
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 us be inebriated with the breasts, and let us enjoy the desired embraces, till the day appear.
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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 is gone a very long journey.
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For my husband is not at home; he has gone on a long journey.
20 He took with him a bag of money: he will return home the day of the full moon.
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He took a bag of money with him; he will not come home until full moon."
21 She entangled him with many words, and drew him away with the flattery of her lips.
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With much seductive speech she persuades him; with her smooth talk she compels him.
22 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,
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Right away he follows her, and goes like an ox to the slaughter, or bounds like a stag toward the trap
23 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.
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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 Now, therefore, my son, hear me, and attend to the words of my mouth.
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And now, my children, listen to me, and be attentive to the words of my mouth.
25 Let not thy mind be drawn away in her ways: neither be thou deceived with her paths.
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Do not let your hearts turn aside to her ways; do not stray into her paths.
26 For she hath cast down many wounded, and the strongest have been slain by her.
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for many are those she has laid low, and numerous are her victims.
27 Her house is the way to hell, reaching even to the inner chambers of death.
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Her house is the way to Sheol, going down to the chambers of death.
The Douay-Rheims Bible is in the public domain.
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.