| Holman Christian Standard Bible | International Standard Version |
| 1My son, obey my words, and treasure my commands. | 1My son, guard what I say and treasure my commands. |
| 2Keep my commands and live; protect my teachings as the pupil of your eye. | 2Keep my commands and you'll live. Guard my teaching as you do your eyesight. |
| 3Tie them to 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 relative. | 4Say to wisdom, "You're my sister!" and call understanding your close relative, |
| 5She will keep you from a forbidden woman, a stranger with her flattering talk. | 5so they can keep you from an adulterous woman, from the immoral woman with her seductive words. |
| 6At the window of my house I looked through my lattice. | 6For from a window in my house I peered through the lattice work, |
| 7I saw among the inexperienced, I noticed 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. |
| 8Crossing the street near her corner, he strolled down the road to her house | 8Proceeding down the street near her corner, he makes his way toward her house |
| 9at twilight, in the evening, in the dark of the night. | 9at twilight, during the evening, even during the darkest part of the night. |
| 10A woman came to meet him dressed like a prostitute, having a hidden agenda. | 10Look! A woman makes her way to meet him, dressed as a prostitute and intending to entrap him. |
| 11She is loud and defiant; her feet do not stay at home. | 11She is brazen and defiant— her feet don't remain at home. |
| 12Now in the street, now in the squares, she lurks at every corner. | 12Now she is in the street, now in the plazas, she lurks near every corner. |
| 13She grabs him and kisses him; she brazenly says to him," | 13So she grabs hold of him and kisses him, with a brazen face she speaks to him, |
| 14I've made fellowship offerings; today I've fulfilled my vows. | 14"I have given my peace offerings, and today I fulfilled my vows. |
| 15So I came out to meet you, to search for you, and I've found you. | 15Therefore, I've come out to meet you, I've looked just for you, and I found you! |
| 16I've spread coverings on my bed-- richly colored linen from Egypt. | 16I've decorated my bed with new coverings— embroidered linen from Egypt. |
| 17I've perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. | 17I've 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 make love until dawn; let's comfort ourselves with love, |
| 19My husband isn't home; he went on a long journey. | 19because my husband isn't home. He left on a long trip. |
| 20He took a bag of money with him and will come home at the time of the full moon." | 20He took a fist full of cash and he'll return home in a month." |
| 21She seduces him with her persistent pleading; she lures with her flattering talk. | 21She leads him astray with great persuasion; with flattering lips she seduces him. |
| 22He follows her impulsively like an ox going to the slaughter, like a deer bounding toward a trap | 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 its liver, like a bird darting into a snare-- he doesn't know 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, 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. |
| 25Don't let your heart turn aside to her ways; don't stray onto her paths. | 25Don't be led astray by her lifestyle, and don't imitate her behavior. |
| 26For she has brought many down to death; her victims are countless. | 26For many are the victims whom she has conquered, and many are her slain. |
| 27Her house is the road to Sheol, descending to the chambers of death. | 27Her house leads to Sheol, descending to death's catacombs. |
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