| Holman Christian Standard Bible | New International Version |
| 1My son, obey my words, and treasure my commands. | 1My son, keep my words and store up my commands within you. |
| 2Keep my commands and live; protect my teachings as the pupil of your eye. | 2Keep my commands and you will live; guard my teachings as the apple of your eye. |
| 3Tie them to your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart. | 3Bind them on your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart. |
| 4Say to wisdom, "You are my sister," and call understanding your relative. | 4Say to wisdom, "You are my sister," and to insight, "You are my relative." |
| 5She will keep you from a forbidden woman, a stranger with her flattering talk. | 5They will keep you from the adulterous woman, from the wayward woman with her seductive words. |
| 6At the window of my house I looked through my lattice. | 6At the window of my house I looked down through the lattice. |
| 7I saw among the inexperienced, I noticed among the youths, a young man lacking sense. | 7I saw among the simple, I noticed among the young men, a youth who had no sense. |
| 8Crossing the street near her corner, he strolled down the road to her house | 8He was going down the street near her corner, walking along in the direction of her house |
| 9at twilight, in the evening, in the dark of the night. | 9at twilight, as the day was fading, as the dark of night set in. |
| 10A woman came to meet him dressed like a prostitute, having a hidden agenda. | 10Then out came a woman to meet him, dressed like a prostitute and with crafty intent. |
| 11She is loud and defiant; her feet do not stay at home. | 11(She is unruly and defiant, her feet never stay at home; |
| 12Now in the street, now in the squares, she lurks at every corner. | 12now in the street, now in the squares, at every corner she lurks.) |
| 13She grabs him and kisses him; she brazenly says to him," | 13She took hold of him and kissed him and with a brazen face she said: |
| 14I've made fellowship offerings; today I've fulfilled my vows. | 14"Today I fulfilled my vows, and I have food from my fellowship offering at home. |
| 15So I came out to meet you, to search for you, and I've found you. | 15So I came out to meet you; I looked for you and have found you! |
| 16I've spread coverings on my bed-- richly colored linen from Egypt. | 16I have covered my bed with colored linens from Egypt. |
| 17I've perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. | 17I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes and cinnamon. |
| 18Come, let's drink deeply of lovemaking until morning. Let's feast on each other's love! | 18Come, let's drink deeply of love till morning; let's enjoy ourselves with love! |
| 19My husband isn't home; he went on a long journey. | 19My husband is not at home; he has gone on a long journey. |
| 20He took a bag of money with him and will come home at the time of the full moon." | 20He took his purse filled with money and will not be home till full moon." |
| 21She seduces him with her persistent pleading; she lures with her flattering talk. | 21With persuasive words she led him astray; she seduced him with her smooth talk. |
| 22He follows her impulsively like an ox going to the slaughter, like a deer bounding toward a trap | 22All at once he followed her like an ox going to the slaughter, like a deer stepping into a noose |
| 23until an arrow pierces its liver, like a bird darting into a snare-- he doesn't know it will cost him his life. | 23till an arrow pierces his liver, like a bird darting into a snare, little knowing it will cost him his life. |
| 24Now, my sons, listen to me, and pay attention to the words of my mouth. | 24Now then, my sons, listen to me; pay attention to what I say. |
| 25Don't let your heart turn aside to her ways; don't stray onto her paths. | 25Do not let your heart turn to her ways or stray into her paths. |
| 26For she has brought many down to death; her victims are countless. | 26Many are the victims she has brought down; her slain are a mighty throng. |
| 27Her house is the road to Sheol, descending to the chambers of death. | 27Her house is a highway to the grave, leading down to the chambers of death. |
| Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. | New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. |
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