New American Standard Bible 1995 | International Standard Version |
1My son, keep my words And treasure my commandments within you. | 1My son, guard what I say and treasure my commands. |
2Keep my commandments and live, And my teaching 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 intimate friend; | 4Say to wisdom, "You're my sister!" and call understanding your close relative, |
5That they may keep you from an adulteress, From the foreigner 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 out through my lattice, | 6For from a window in my house I peered through the lattice work, |
7And I saw among the naive, And discerned among the youths A young man lacking sense, | 7and I noticed among the naïve— that is, I discerned among the youths— a senseless young man. |
8Passing through the street near her corner; And he takes the way 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 middle of the night and in the darkness. | 9at twilight, during the evening, even during the darkest part of the night. |
10And behold, a woman comes to meet him, Dressed as a harlot and cunning of heart. | 10Look! A woman makes her way to meet him, dressed as a prostitute and intending to entrap him. |
11She is boisterous and rebellious, Her feet do not remain at home; | 11She is brazen and defiant— her feet don't remain at home. |
12She is now in the streets, now in the squares, And lurks by every corner. | 12Now she is in the street, now in the plazas, she lurks near every corner. |
13So she seizes him and kisses him And with a brazen face she says to him: | 13So she grabs hold of him and kisses him, with a brazen face she speaks to him, |
14"I was due to offer peace offerings; Today I have paid my vows. | 14"I have given my peace offerings, and today I fulfilled my vows. |
15"Therefore I have come out to meet you, To seek your presence earnestly, and I have found you. | 15Therefore, I've come out to meet you, I've looked just for you, and I found you! |
16"I have spread my couch with coverings, With colored linens of Egypt. | 16I've decorated my bed with new coverings— embroidered linen from Egypt. |
17"I have sprinkled my bed With myrrh, aloes and cinnamon. | 17I've perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. |
18"Come, let us drink our fill of love until morning; Let us delight ourselves with caresses. | 18Come, let's make love until dawn; let's comfort ourselves with love, |
19"For 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, At the full moon he will come home." | 20He took a fist full of cash and he'll return home in a month." |
21With her many persuasions she entices him; With her flattering lips she seduces him. | 21She leads him astray with great persuasion; with flattering lips she seduces him. |
22Suddenly he follows her As an ox goes to the slaughter, Or as one in fetters to the discipline of a fool, | 22All of a sudden he follows her like an ox fit for slaughter or like a fool fit for a trap |
23Until an arrow pierces through his liver; As a bird hastens to the snare, So he does not know that it will cost him his life. | 23until an arrow pierces his liver. As a bird darts into a snare, he doesn't realize his fatal decision. |
24Now therefore, my sons, listen to me, And 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 many are the victims she has cast down, And numerous are all her slain. | 26For many are the victims whom she has conquered, and many are her slain. |
27Her house is the way to Sheol, Descending to the chambers of death. | 27Her house leads to Sheol, descending to death's catacombs. |
New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit //www.lockman.org | The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. |
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