| New King James Version | New Living Translation |
| 1My son, keep my words, And treasure my commands within you. | 1Follow my advice, my son; always treasure my commands. |
| 2Keep my commands and live, And my law as the apple of your eye. | 2Obey my commands and live! Guard my instructions as you guard your own eyes. |
| 3Bind them on your fingers; Write them on the tablet of your heart. | 3Tie them on your fingers as a reminder. Write them deep within your heart. |
| 4Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,” And call understanding your nearest kin, | 4Love wisdom like a sister; make insight a beloved member of your family. |
| 5That they may keep you from the immoral woman, From the seductress who flatters with her words. | 5Let them protect you from an affair with an immoral woman, from listening to the flattery of a promiscuous woman. |
| 6For at the window of my house I looked through my lattice, | 6While I was at the window of my house, looking through the curtain, |
| 7And saw among the simple, I perceived among the youths, A young man devoid of understanding, | 7I saw some naive young men, and one in particular who lacked common sense. |
| 8Passing along the street near her corner; And he took the path to her house | 8He was crossing the street near the house of an immoral woman, strolling down the path by her house. |
| 9In the twilight, in the evening, In the black and dark night. | 9It was at twilight, in the evening, as deep darkness fell. |
| 10And there a woman met him, With the attire of a harlot, and a crafty heart. | 10The woman approached him, seductively dressed and sly of heart. |
| 11She was loud and rebellious, Her feet would not stay at home. | 11She was the brash, rebellious type, never content to stay at home. |
| 12At times she was outside, at times in the open square, Lurking at every corner. | 12She is often in the streets and markets, soliciting at every corner. |
| 13So she caught him and kissed him; With an impudent face she said to him: | 13She threw her arms around him and kissed him, and with a brazen look she said, |
| 14“I have peace offerings with me; Today I have paid my vows. | 14“I’ve just made my peace offerings and fulfilled my vows. |
| 15So I came out to meet you, Diligently to seek your face, And I have found you. | 15You’re the one I was looking for! I came out to find you, and here you are! |
| 16I have spread my bed with tapestry, Colored coverings of Egyptian linen. | 16My bed is spread with beautiful blankets, with colored sheets of Egyptian linen. |
| 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 drink our fill of love until morning. Let’s enjoy each other’s caresses, |
| 19For my husband is not at home; He has gone on a long journey; | 19for my husband is not home. He’s away on a long trip. |
| 20He has taken a bag of money with him, And will come home on the appointed day.” | 20He has taken a wallet full of money with him and won’t return until later this month. ” |
| 21With her enticing speech she caused him to yield, With her flattering lips she seduced him. | 21So she seduced him with her pretty speech and enticed him with her flattery. |
| 22Immediately he went after her, as an ox goes to the slaughter, Or as a fool to the correction of the stocks, | 22He followed her at once, like an ox going to the slaughter. He was like a stag caught in a trap, |
| 23Till an arrow struck his liver. As a bird hastens to the snare, He did not know it would cost his life. | 23awaiting the arrow that would pierce its heart. He was like a bird flying into a snare, little knowing it would cost him his life. |
| 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 my words. |
| 25Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways, Do not stray into her paths; | 25Don’t let your hearts stray away toward her. Don’t wander down her wayward path. |
| 26For she has cast down many wounded, And all who were slain by her were strong men. | 26For she has been the ruin of many; many men have been her victims. |
| 27Her house is the way to hell, Descending to the chambers of death. | 27Her house is the road to the grave. Her bedroom is the den of death. |
| The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved. | Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. |
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