| Berean Study Bible | NET Bible |
| 1My son, keep my words and treasure my commandments within you. | 1My child, keep my words and treasure up my commands in your own keeping. |
| 2Keep my commandments and live; guard my teachings as the apple of your eye. | 2Keep my commands so that you may live, and obey my instruction as your most prized possession. |
| 3Tie them to your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart. | 3Bind them on your forearm; write them on the tablet of your heart. |
| 4Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,” and call understanding your kinsman, | 4Say to wisdom, "You are my sister," and call understanding a close relative, |
| 5that they may keep you from the adulteress, from the stranger with seductive words. | 5so that they may keep you from the adulterous woman, from the loose woman who flatters you with her words. |
| 6For at the window of my house I looked through the lattice. | 6For at the window of my house through my window lattice I looked out |
| 7I saw among the simple, I noticed among the youths, a young man lacking judgment, | 7and I saw among the naive--I discerned among the youths--a young man who lacked wisdom. |
| 8crossing the street near her corner, strolling down the road to her house, | 8He was passing by the street near her corner, making his way along the road to her house |
| 9at twilight, as the day was fading into the dark of the night. | 9in the twilight, the evening, in the dark of the night. |
| 10Then a woman came out to meet him, with the attire of a harlot and cunning of heart. | 10Suddenly a woman came out to meet him! She was dressed like a prostitute and with secret intent. |
| 11She is loud and defiant; her feet do not remain at home. | 11(She is loud and rebellious, she does not remain at home-- |
| 12Now in the street, now in the squares, she lurks at every corner. | 12at one time outside, at another in the wide plazas, and by every corner she lies in wait.) |
| 13She seizes him and kisses him; she brazenly says to him: | 13So she grabbed him and kissed him, and with a bold expression she said to him, |
| 14“I have made my peace offerings; today I have paid my vows. | 14"I have fresh meat at home; today I have fulfilled my vows! |
| 15So I came out to meet you; I sought you, and I have found you. | 15That is why I came out to meet you, to look for you, and I found you! |
| 16I have decked my bed with coverings, with colored linen from Egypt. | 16I have spread my bed with elegant coverings, with richly colored fabric from Egypt. |
| 17I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, with aloes, and with cinnamon. | 17I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. |
| 18Come, let us take our fill of love till morning. Let us delight in loving caresses! | 18Come, let's drink deeply of lovemaking until morning, let's delight ourselves with sexual intercourse. |
| 19For my husband is not at home; he has gone on a long journey. | 19For my husband is not at home; he has gone on a journey of some distance. |
| 20He took with him a bag of money and will not return till the moon is full.” | 20He has taken a bag of money with him; he will not return until the end of the month." |
| 21With her great persuasion she entices him; with her flattering lips she lures him. | 21She persuaded him with persuasive words; with her smooth talk she compelled him. |
| 22He follows her on impulse, like an ox going to the slaughter, like a deer bounding into a trap, | 22Suddenly he went after her like an ox that goes to the slaughter, like a stag prancing into a trapper's snare |
| 23until an arrow pierces his liver, like a bird darting into a snare—not knowing it will cost him his life. | 23till an arrow pierces his liver--like a bird hurrying into a trap, and he does not know that it will cost him his life. |
| 24Now, my sons, listen to me, and attend to the words of my mouth. | 24So now, sons, listen to me, and pay attention to the words I speak. |
| 25Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways; do not stray into her paths. | 25Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways--do not wander into her pathways; |
| 26For she has brought many down to death; her slain are many in number. | 26for she has brought down many fatally wounded, and all those she has slain are many. |
| 27Her house is the road to Sheol, descending to the chambers of death. | 27Her house is the way to the grave, going down to the chambers of death. |
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