| New King James Version | International Standard Version |
| 1My son, keep my words, And treasure my commands within you. | 1My son, guard what I say and treasure my commands. |
| 2Keep my commands and live, And my law as the apple of your eye. | 2Keep my commands and you'll live. Guard my teaching as you do your eyesight. |
| 3Bind them on your fingers; Write them on the tablet of your heart. | 3Strap them to your fingers and engrave them on the tablet of your heart. |
| 4Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,” And call understanding your nearest kin, | 4Say to wisdom, "You're my sister!" and call understanding your close relative, |
| 5That they may keep you from the immoral woman, From the seductress who flatters with her words. | 5so they can keep you from an adulterous woman, from the immoral woman with her seductive words. |
| 6For at the window of my house I looked through my lattice, | 6For from a window in my house I peered through the lattice work, |
| 7And saw among the simple, I perceived among the youths, A young man devoid of understanding, | 7and I noticed among the naïve— that is, I discerned among the youths— a senseless young man. |
| 8Passing along the street near her corner; And he took the path to her house | 8Proceeding down the street near her corner, he makes his way toward her house |
| 9In the twilight, in the evening, In the black and dark night. | 9at twilight, during the evening, even during the darkest part of the night. |
| 10And there a woman met him, With the attire of a harlot, and a crafty heart. | 10Look! A woman makes her way to meet him, dressed as a prostitute and intending to entrap him. |
| 11She was loud and rebellious, Her feet would not stay at home. | 11She is brazen and defiant— her feet don't remain at home. |
| 12At times she was outside, at times in the open square, Lurking at every corner. | 12Now she is in the street, now in the plazas, she lurks near every corner. |
| 13So she caught him and kissed him; With an impudent face she said to him: | 13So she grabs hold of him and kisses him, with a brazen face she speaks to him, |
| 14“I have peace offerings with me; Today I have paid my vows. | 14"I have given my peace offerings, and today I fulfilled my vows. |
| 15So I came out to meet you, Diligently to seek your face, And I have found you. | 15Therefore, I've come out to meet you, I've looked just for you, and I found you! |
| 16I have spread my bed with tapestry, Colored coverings of Egyptian linen. | 16I've decorated my bed with new coverings— embroidered linen from Egypt. |
| 17I have perfumed my bed With myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. | 17I've perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. |
| 18Come, let us take our fill of love until morning; Let us delight ourselves with love. | 18Come, let's make love until dawn; let's comfort ourselves with love, |
| 19For my husband is not at home; He has gone on a long journey; | 19because my husband isn't home. He left on a long trip. |
| 20He has taken a bag of money with him, And will come home on the appointed day.” | 20He took a fist full of cash and he'll return home in a month." |
| 21With her enticing speech she caused him to yield, With her flattering lips she seduced him. | 21She leads him astray with great persuasion; with flattering lips she seduces him. |
| 22Immediately he went after her, as an ox goes to the slaughter, Or as a fool to the correction of the stocks, | 22All of a sudden he follows her like an ox fit for slaughter or like a fool fit for a trap |
| 23Till an arrow struck his liver. As a bird hastens to the snare, He did not know it would cost his life. | 23until an arrow pierces his liver. As a bird darts into a snare, he doesn't realize his fatal decision. |
| 24Now therefore, listen to me, my children; Pay attention to the words of my mouth: | 24So listen to me, my sons, and pay attention to what I have to say. |
| 25Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways, Do not stray into her paths; | 25Don't be led astray by her lifestyle, and don't imitate her behavior. |
| 26For she has cast down many wounded, And all who were slain by her were strong men. | 26For many are the victims whom she has conquered, and many are her slain. |
| 27Her house is the way to hell, Descending to the chambers of death. | 27Her house leads to Sheol, descending to death's catacombs. |
| The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved. | The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. |
|
