| King James Bible | New International Version |
| 1My son, keep my words, and lay up my commandments with thee. | 1My son, keep my words and store up my commands within you. |
| 2Keep my commandments, and live; and my law as the apple of thine eye. | 2Keep my commands and you will live; guard my teachings as the apple of your eye. |
| 3Bind them upon thy fingers, write them upon the table of thine heart. | 3Bind them on your fingers; 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 to insight, "You are my relative." |
| 5That they may keep thee from the strange woman, from the stranger which flattereth with her words. | 5They will keep you from the adulterous woman, from the wayward woman with her seductive words. |
| 6For at the window of my house I looked through my casement, | 6At the window of my house I looked down through the lattice. |
| 7And beheld among the simple ones, I discerned among the youths, a young man void of understanding, | 7I saw among the simple, I noticed among the young men, a youth who had no sense. |
| 8Passing through the street near her corner; and he went the way to her house, | 8He was going down the street near her corner, walking along in the direction of her house |
| 9In the twilight, in the evening, in the black and dark night: | 9at twilight, as the day was fading, as the dark of night set in. |
| 10And, behold, there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot, and subtil of heart. | 10Then out came a woman to meet him, dressed like a prostitute and with crafty intent. |
| 11(She is loud and stubborn; her feet abide not in her house: | 11(She is unruly and defiant, her feet never stay at home; |
| 12Now is she without, now in the streets, and lieth in wait at every corner.) | 12now in the street, now in the squares, at every corner she lurks.) |
| 13So she caught him, and kissed him, and with an impudent face said unto him, | 13She took hold of him and kissed him and with a brazen face she said: |
| 14I have peace offerings with me; this day have I payed my vows. | 14"Today I fulfilled my vows, and I have food from my fellowship offering at home. |
| 15Therefore came I forth to meet thee, diligently to seek thy face, and I have found thee. | 15So I came out to meet you; I looked for you and have found you! |
| 16I have decked my bed with coverings of tapestry, with carved works, with fine linen of Egypt. | 16I have covered my bed with colored linens 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 love till morning; let's enjoy ourselves with love! |
| 19For the goodman is not at home, he is gone a long journey: | 19My husband is not at home; he has gone on a long journey. |
| 20He hath taken a bag of money with him, and will come home at the day appointed. | 20He took his purse filled with money and will not be home till full moon." |
| 21With her much fair speech she caused him to yield, with the flattering of her lips she forced him. | 21With persuasive words she led him astray; she seduced him with her smooth talk. |
| 22He goeth after her straightway, as an ox goeth to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks; | 22All at once he followed her like an ox going to the slaughter, like a deer stepping into a noose |
| 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 darting into a snare, little knowing it will cost him his life. |
| 24Hearken unto me now therefore, O ye children, and attend to the words of my mouth. | 24Now then, my sons, listen to me; pay attention to what I say. |
| 25Let not thine heart decline to her ways, go not astray in her paths. | 25Do not let your heart turn to her ways or stray into her paths. |
| 26For she hath cast down many wounded: yea, many strong men have been slain by her. | 26Many are the victims she has brought down; her slain are a mighty throng. |
| 27Her house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death. | 27Her house is a highway to the grave, leading down to the chambers of death. |
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