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1. My son, pay attention to my wisdom; listen to my words of understanding.
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1. My son H1121 , attend H7181 unto my wisdom H2451 , and bow H5186 thine ear H241 to my understanding H8394 :
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2. Be careful to use good sense, and watch what you say.
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2. That thou mayest regard H8104 discretion H4209 , and that thy lips H8193 may keep H5341 knowledge H1847 .
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3. The words of another man's wife may seem sweet as honey; they may be as smooth as olive oil.
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3. For H3588 the lips H8193 of a strange woman H2114 drop H5197 as a honeycomb H5317 , and her mouth H2441 is smoother H2509 than oil H4480 H8081 :
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4. But in the end she will bring you sorrow, causing you pain like a two-edged sword.
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4. But her end H319 is bitter H4751 as wormwood H3939 , sharp H2299 as a twoedged H6310 sword H2719 .
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5. She is on the way to death; her steps are headed straight to the grave.
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5. Her feet H7272 go down H3381 to death H4194 ; her steps H6806 take hold H8551 on hell H7585 .
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6. She gives little thought to life. She doesn't even know that her ways are wrong.
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6. Lest H6435 thou shouldest ponder H6424 the path H734 of life H2416 , her ways H4570 are movable H5128 , that thou canst not H3808 know H3045 them .
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7. Now, my sons, listen to me, and don't ignore what I say.
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7. Hear H8085 me now H6258 therefore , O ye children H1121 , and depart H5493 not H408 from the words H4480 H561 of my mouth H6310 .
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8. Stay away from such a woman. Don't even go near the door of her house,
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8. Remove thy way far H7368 H1870 from H4480 H5921 her , and come not nigh H7126 H408 H413 the door H6607 of her house H1004 :
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9. or you will give your riches to others, and the best years of your life will be given to someone cruel.
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9. Lest H6435 thou give H5414 thine honor H1935 unto others H312 , and thy years H8141 unto the cruel H394 :
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10. Strangers will enjoy your wealth, and what you worked so hard for will go to someone else.
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10. Lest H6435 strangers H2114 be filled H7646 with thy wealth H3581 ; and thy labors H6089 be in the house H1004 of a stranger H5237 ;
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11. You will groan at the end of your life when your health is gone.
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11. And thou mourn H5098 at the last H319 , when thy flesh H1320 and thy body H7607 are consumed H3615 ,
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12. Then you will say, "I hated being told what to do! I would not listen to correction!
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12. And say H559 , How H349 have I hated H8130 instruction H4148 , and my heart H3820 despised H5006 reproof H8433 ;
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13. I would not listen to my teachers or pay attention to my instructors.
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13. And have not H3808 obeyed H8085 the voice H6963 of my teachers H3384 , nor H3808 inclined H5186 mine ear H241 to them that instructed H3925 me!
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14. I came close to being completely ruined in front of a whole group of people."
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14. I was H1961 almost H4592 in all H3605 evil H7451 in the midst H8432 of the congregation H6951 and assembly H5712 .
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15. Be faithful to your own wife, just as you drink water from your own well.
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15. Drink H8354 waters H4325 out of thine own cistern H4480 H953 , and running waters H5140 out of H4480 H8432 thine own well H875 .
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16. Don't pour your water in the streets; don't give your love to just any woman.
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16. Let thy fountains H4599 be dispersed H6327 abroad H2351 , and rivers H6388 of waters H4325 in the streets H7339 .
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17. These things are yours alone and shouldn't be shared with strangers.
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17. Let them be H1961 only H905 thine own , and not H369 strangers H2114 ' with H854 thee.
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18. Be happy with the wife you married when you were young. She gives you joy, as your fountain gives you water.
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18. Let thy fountain H4726 be H1961 blessed H1288 : and rejoice H8055 with the wife H4480 H802 of thy youth H5271 .
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19. She is as lovely and graceful as a deer. Let her love always make you happy; let her love always hold you captive.
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19. Let her be as the loving H158 hind H365 and pleasant H2580 roe H3280 ; let her breasts H1717 satisfy H7301 thee at all H3605 times H6256 ; and be thou ravished H7686 always H8548 with her love H160 .
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20. My son, don't be held captive by a woman who takes part in adultery. Don't hug another man's wife.
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20. And why H4100 wilt thou , my son H1121 , be ravished H7686 with a strange woman H2114 , and embrace H2263 the bosom H2436 of a stranger H5237 ?
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21. The Lord sees everything you do, and he watches where you go.
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21. For H3588 the ways H1870 of man H376 are before H5227 the eyes H5869 of the LORD H3068 , and he pondereth H6424 all H3605 his goings H4570 .
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22. An evil man will be caught in his wicked ways; the ropes of his sins will tie him up.
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22. His own iniquities H5771 shall take H3920 H853 the wicked H7563 himself , and he shall be holden H8551 with the cords H2256 of his sins H2403 .
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23. He will die because he does not control himself, and he will be held captive by his foolishness.
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23. He H1931 shall die H4191 without H369 instruction H4148 ; and in the greatness H7230 of his folly H200 he shall go astray H7686 .
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