| International Standard Version | NET Bible |
| 1My son, guard what I say and treasure my commands. | 1My child, keep my words and treasure up my commands in your own keeping. |
| 2Keep my commands and you'll live. Guard my teaching as you do your eyesight. | 2Keep my commands so that you may live, and obey my instruction as your most prized possession. |
| 3Strap them to your fingers and engrave them on the tablet of your heart. | 3Bind them on your forearm; 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 understanding a close relative, |
| 5so they can keep you from an adulterous woman, from the immoral woman with her seductive words. | 5so that they may keep you from the adulterous woman, from the loose woman who flatters you with her words. |
| 6For from a window in my house I peered through the lattice work, | 6For at the window of my house through my window lattice I looked out |
| 7and I noticed among the naïve— that is, I discerned among the youths— a senseless young man. | 7and I saw among the naive--I discerned among the youths--a young man who lacked wisdom. |
| 8Proceeding down the street near her corner, he makes his way toward her house | 8He was passing by the street near her corner, making his way along the road to her house |
| 9at twilight, during the evening, even during the darkest part of the night. | 9in the twilight, the evening, in the dark of the night. |
| 10Look! A woman makes her way to meet him, dressed as a prostitute and intending to entrap him. | 10Suddenly a woman came out to meet him! She was dressed like a prostitute and with secret intent. |
| 11She is brazen and defiant— her feet don't remain at home. | 11(She is loud and rebellious, she does not remain at home-- |
| 12Now she is in the street, now in the plazas, she lurks near every corner. | 12at one time outside, at another in the wide plazas, and by every corner she lies in wait.) |
| 13So she grabs hold of him and kisses him, with a brazen face she speaks to him, | 13So she grabbed him and kissed him, and with a bold expression she said to him, |
| 14"I have given my peace offerings, and today I fulfilled my vows. | 14"I have fresh meat at home; today I have fulfilled my vows! |
| 15Therefore, I've come out to meet you, I've looked just for you, and I found you! | 15That is why I came out to meet you, to look for you, and I found you! |
| 16I've decorated my bed with new coverings— embroidered linen from Egypt. | 16I have spread my bed with elegant coverings, with richly colored fabric 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 lovemaking until morning, let's delight ourselves with sexual intercourse. |
| 19because my husband isn't home. He left on a long trip. | 19For my husband is not at home; he has gone on a journey of some distance. |
| 20He took a fist full of cash and he'll return home in a month." | 20He has taken a bag of money with him; he will not return until the end of the month." |
| 21She leads him astray with great persuasion; with flattering lips she seduces him. | 21She persuaded him with persuasive words; with her smooth talk she compelled him. |
| 22All of a sudden he follows her like an ox fit for slaughter or like a fool fit for a trap | 22Suddenly he went after her like an ox that goes to the slaughter, like a stag prancing into a trapper's snare |
| 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 hurrying into a trap, and 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. | 24So now, sons, listen to me, and pay attention to the words I speak. |
| 25Don't be led astray by her lifestyle, and don't imitate her behavior. | 25Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways--do not wander into her pathways; |
| 26For many are the victims whom she has conquered, and many are her slain. | 26for she has brought down many fatally wounded, and all those she has slain are many. |
| 27Her house leads to Sheol, descending to death's catacombs. | 27Her house is the way to the grave, going down to the chambers of death. |
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