| International Standard Version | English Standard Version |
| 1My son, guard what I say and treasure my commands. | 1My son, keep my words and treasure up my commandments with you; |
| 2Keep my commands and you'll live. Guard my teaching as you do your eyesight. | 2keep my commandments and live; keep my teaching 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 call insight your intimate friend, |
| 5so they can keep you from an adulterous woman, from the immoral woman with her seductive words. | 5to keep you from the forbidden woman, from the adulteress with her smooth words. |
| 6For from a window in my house I peered through the lattice work, | 6For at the window of my house I have looked out through my lattice, |
| 7and I noticed among the naïve— that is, I discerned among the youths— a senseless young man. | 7and I have seen among the simple, I have perceived among the youths, a young man lacking sense, |
| 8Proceeding down the street near her corner, he makes his way toward her house | 8passing along the street near her corner, taking the road to her house |
| 9at twilight, during the evening, even during the darkest part of the night. | 9in the twilight, in the evening, at the time of night and darkness. |
| 10Look! A woman makes her way to meet him, dressed as a prostitute and intending to entrap him. | 10And behold, the woman meets him, dressed as a prostitute, wily of heart. |
| 11She is brazen and defiant— her feet don't remain at home. | 11She is loud and wayward; her feet do not 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 market, and at every corner she lies in wait. |
| 13So she grabs hold of him and kisses him, with a brazen face she speaks to him, | 13She seizes him and kisses him, and with bold face she says to him, |
| 14"I have given my peace offerings, and today I fulfilled my vows. | 14“I had to offer sacrifices, and today I have paid my vows; |
| 15Therefore, I've come out to meet you, I've looked just for you, and I found you! | 15so now I have come out to meet you, to seek you eagerly, and I have found you. |
| 16I've decorated my bed with new coverings— embroidered linen from Egypt. | 16I have spread my couch with coverings, colored linens from Egyptian linen; |
| 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 us take our fill of love till morning; let us delight ourselves with love. |
| 19because my husband isn't home. He left on a long trip. | 19For my 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 a bag of money with him; at full moon he will come home.” |
| 21She leads him astray with great persuasion; with flattering lips she seduces him. | 21With much seductive speech she persuades him; with her smooth talk she compels him. |
| 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 follows her, as an ox goes to the slaughter, or as a stag is caught fast |
| 23until an arrow pierces his liver. As a bird darts into a snare, he doesn't realize his fatal decision. | 23till an arrow pierces its liver; as a bird rushes into a snare; he does not know that it will cost him his life. |
| 24So listen to me, my sons, and pay attention to what I have to say. | 24And now, O sons, listen to me, and be attentive to the words of my mouth. |
| 25Don't be led astray by her lifestyle, and don't imitate her behavior. | 25Let not your heart turn aside to her ways; do not stray into her paths, |
| 26For many are the victims whom she has conquered, and many are her slain. | 26for many a victim has she laid low, and all her slain are a mighty throng. |
| 27Her house leads to Sheol, descending to death's catacombs. | 27Her house is the way to Sheol, going 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. | ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved. |
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