| International Standard Version | New International Version |
| 1My son, guard what I say and treasure my commands. | 1My son, keep my words and store up my commands within you. |
| 2Keep my commands and you'll live. Guard my teaching as you do your eyesight. | 2Keep my commands and you will live; guard my teachings as the apple of your eye. |
| 3Strap them to your fingers and engrave them on the tablet of your heart. | 3Bind them on your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart. |
| 4Say to wisdom, "You're my sister!" and call understanding your close relative, | 4Say to wisdom, "You are my sister," and to insight, "You are my relative." |
| 5so they can keep you from an adulterous woman, from the immoral woman with her seductive words. | 5They will keep you from the adulterous woman, from the wayward woman with her seductive words. |
| 6For from a window in my house I peered through the lattice work, | 6At the window of my house I looked down through the lattice. |
| 7and I noticed among the naïve— that is, I discerned among the youths— a senseless young man. | 7I saw among the simple, I noticed among the young men, a youth who had no sense. |
| 8Proceeding down the street near her corner, he makes his way toward her house | 8He was going down the street near her corner, walking along in the direction of her house |
| 9at twilight, during the evening, even during the darkest part of the night. | 9at twilight, as the day was fading, as the dark of night set in. |
| 10Look! A woman makes her way to meet him, dressed as a prostitute and intending to entrap him. | 10Then out came a woman to meet him, dressed like a prostitute and with crafty intent. |
| 11She is brazen and defiant— her feet don't remain at home. | 11(She is unruly and defiant, her feet never stay at home; |
| 12Now she is in the street, now in the plazas, she lurks near every corner. | 12now in the street, now in the squares, at every corner she lurks.) |
| 13So she grabs hold of him and kisses him, with a brazen face she speaks to him, | 13She took hold of him and kissed him and with a brazen face she said: |
| 14"I have given my peace offerings, and today I fulfilled my vows. | 14"Today I fulfilled my vows, and I have food from my fellowship offering at home. |
| 15Therefore, I've come out to meet you, I've looked just for you, and I found you! | 15So I came out to meet you; I looked for you and have found you! |
| 16I've decorated my bed with new coverings— embroidered 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 make love until dawn; let's comfort ourselves with love, | 18Come, let's drink deeply of love till morning; let's enjoy ourselves with love! |
| 19because my husband isn't home. He left on a long trip. | 19My husband is not at home; he has gone on a long journey. |
| 20He took a fist full of cash and he'll return home in a month." | 20He took his purse filled with money and will not be home till full moon." |
| 21She leads him astray with great persuasion; with flattering lips she seduces him. | 21With persuasive words she led him astray; she seduced him with her smooth talk. |
| 22All of a sudden he follows her like an ox fit for slaughter or like a fool fit for 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 his liver. As a bird darts into a snare, he doesn't realize his fatal decision. | 23till an arrow pierces his liver, like a bird darting into a snare, little knowing it will cost him his life. |
| 24So listen to me, my sons, and pay attention to what I have to say. | 24Now then, my sons, listen to me; pay attention to what I say. |
| 25Don't be led astray by her lifestyle, and don't imitate her behavior. | 25Do not let your heart turn to her ways or stray into her paths. |
| 26For many are the victims whom she has conquered, and many are her slain. | 26Many are the victims she has brought down; her slain are a mighty throng. |
| 27Her house leads to Sheol, descending to death's catacombs. | 27Her house is a highway to the grave, leading down to the chambers of death. |
The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. | 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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