| King James Bible | NET Bible |
| 1My son, keep my words, and lay up my commandments with thee. | 1My child, keep my words and treasure up my commands in your own keeping. |
| 2Keep my commandments, and live; and my law as the apple of thine eye. | 2Keep my commands so that you may live, and obey my instruction as your most prized possession. |
| 3Bind them upon thy fingers, write them upon the table of thine heart. | 3Bind them on your forearm; write them on the tablet of your heart. |
| 4Say unto wisdom, Thou art my sister; and call understanding thy kinswoman: | 4Say to wisdom, "You are my sister," and call understanding a close relative, |
| 5That they may keep thee from the strange woman, from the stranger which flattereth with her words. | 5so that they may keep you from the adulterous woman, from the loose woman who flatters you with her words. |
| 6For at the window of my house I looked through my casement, | 6For at the window of my house through my window lattice I looked out |
| 7And beheld among the simple ones, I discerned among the youths, a young man void of understanding, | 7and I saw among the naive--I discerned among the youths--a young man who lacked wisdom. |
| 8Passing through the street near her corner; and he went the way to her house, | 8He was passing by the street near her corner, making his way along the road to her house |
| 9In the twilight, in the evening, in the black and dark night: | 9in the twilight, the evening, in the dark of the night. |
| 10And, behold, there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot, and subtil of heart. | 10Suddenly a woman came out to meet him! She was dressed like a prostitute and with secret intent. |
| 11(She is loud and stubborn; her feet abide not in her house: | 11(She is loud and rebellious, she does not remain at home-- |
| 12Now is she without, now in the streets, and lieth in wait at every corner.) | 12at one time outside, at another in the wide plazas, and by every corner she lies in wait.) |
| 13So she caught him, and kissed him, and with an impudent face said unto him, | 13So she grabbed him and kissed him, and with a bold expression she said to him, |
| 14I have peace offerings with me; this day have I payed my vows. | 14"I have fresh meat at home; today I have fulfilled my vows! |
| 15Therefore came I forth to meet thee, diligently to seek thy face, and I have found thee. | 15That is why I came out to meet you, to look for you, and I found you! |
| 16I have decked my bed with coverings of tapestry, with carved works, with fine linen of Egypt. | 16I have spread my bed with elegant coverings, with richly colored fabric from Egypt. |
| 17I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. | 17I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. |
| 18Come, let us take our fill of love until the morning: let us solace ourselves with loves. | 18Come, let's drink deeply of lovemaking until morning, let's delight ourselves with sexual intercourse. |
| 19For the goodman is not at home, he is gone a long journey: | 19For my husband is not at home; he has gone on a journey of some distance. |
| 20He hath taken a bag of money with him, and will come home at the day appointed. | 20He has taken a bag of money with him; he will not return until the end of the month." |
| 21With her much fair speech she caused him to yield, with the flattering of her lips she forced him. | 21She persuaded him with persuasive words; with her smooth talk she compelled him. |
| 22He goeth after her straightway, as an ox goeth to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks; | 22Suddenly he went after her like an ox that goes to the slaughter, like a stag prancing into a trapper's snare |
| 23Till a dart strike through his liver; as a bird hasteth to the snare, and knoweth not that it is for his life. | 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. |
| 24Hearken unto me now therefore, O ye children, and attend to the words of my mouth. | 24So now, sons, listen to me, and pay attention to the words I speak. |
| 25Let not thine heart decline to her ways, go not astray in her paths. | 25Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways--do not wander into her pathways; |
| 26For she hath cast down many wounded: yea, many strong men have been slain by her. | 26for she has brought down many fatally wounded, and all those she has slain are many. |
| 27Her house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death. | 27Her house is the way to the grave, going down to the chambers of death. |
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