20 Why, my son, be intoxicated with another man’s wife?

Why embrace the bosom of a wayward woman?

21 For your ways are in full view of the Lord,

and he examines all your paths.

22 The evil deeds of the wicked ensnare them;

the cords of their sins hold them fast.

23 For lack of discipline they will die,

led astray by their own great folly.

20 Why should you be intoxicated, my son, with a forbidden woman

and embrace the bosom of an adulteress?

21 For a man’s ways are before the eyes of the Lord,

and he ponders all his paths.

22 The iniquities of the wicked ensnare him,

and he is held fast in the cords of his sin.

23 He dies for lack of discipline,

and because of his great folly he is led astray.

20 And why wilt thou, my son, be ravished with a strange woman,

And embrace the bosom of a stranger?

21 For the ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord,

And he pondereth all his goings.

22 His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself,

And he shall be holden with the cords of his sins.

23 He shall die without instruction;

And in the greatness of his folly he shall go astray.

20 Why be captivated, my son, by an immoral woman,

or fondle the breasts of a promiscuous woman?

21 For the Lord sees clearly what a man does,

examining every path he takes.

22 An evil man is held captive by his own sins;

they are ropes that catch and hold him.

23 He will die for lack of self-control;

he will be lost because of his great foolishness.

20 For why should you, my son, be enraptured by an immoral woman,

And be embraced in the arms of a seductress?

21 For the ways of man are before the eyes of the Lord,

And He ponders all his paths.

22 His own iniquities entrap the wicked man,

And he is caught in the cords of his sin.

23 He shall die for lack of instruction,

And in the greatness of his folly he shall go astray.

20 My son, don’t be held captive by a woman who takes part in adultery.

Don’t fondle a woman who is not your wife.

21 The Lord sees everything you do,

and he watches where you go.

22 An evil man will be caught in his wicked ways;

the ropes of his sins will tie him up.

23 He will die because he does not control himself,

and he will be held captive by his foolishness.

20 For why shouldest thou, my son, be ravished with a strange woman,

And embrace the bosom of a foreigner?

21 For the ways of man are before the eyes of Jehovah;

And he maketh level all his paths.

22 His own iniquities shall take the wicked,

And he shall be holden with the cords of his sin.

23 He shall die for lack of instruction;

And in the greatness of his folly he shall go astray.

20 And why shouldest thou, my son, be ravished with a strange woman, and embrace the bosom of a stranger? 21 For the ways of man are before the eyes of Jehovah, and he pondereth all his paths. 22 His own iniquities shall take the wicked, and he shall be holden with the cords of his sin. 23 He shall die for want of discipline; and in the greatness of his folly he shall go astray.

20 Why should you, my son, 

be intoxicated with an adulterous woman 

and fondle a loose woman’s breast? 

21 Each person’s ways are clearly seen by the Lord, 

and he surveys all his actions. 

22 A wicked person will be trapped by his own wrongs, 

and he will be caught in the ropes of his own sin. 

23 He will die for his lack of discipline 

and stumble around because of his great stupidity. 

20 Why, my son, would you be infatuated

with a forbidden woman

or embrace the breast of a stranger?

21 For a man’s ways are before the Lord’s eyes,

and He considers all his paths.

22 A wicked man’s iniquities entrap him;

he is entangled in the ropes of his own sin.

23 He will die because there is no discipline,

and be lost because of his great stupidity.

20 Why should you be intoxicated, my son, by another woman

and embrace the bosom of an adulteress?

21 For human ways are under the eyes of the Lord,

and he examines all their paths.

22 The iniquities of the wicked ensnare them,

and they are caught in the toils of their sin.

23 They die for lack of discipline,

and because of their great folly they are lost.

20 Why should you be intoxicated, my child, by a strange woman,

and embrace the bosom of a foreigner?

21 For before the eyes of Yahweh are human ways,

and all his paths he examines.

22 His iniquities shall ensnare him, the evildoer,

and in the vanity of his sin he shall be caught.

23 He shall die for lack of discipline,

and in the greatness of his folly he shall be lost.

20 My son, why be captured by a woman who commits adultery?

Why hug the wife of another man?

21 The Lord watches a man’s ways.

He studies all of his paths.

22 A sinner is trapped by his own evil acts.

He is held tight by the ropes of his sins.

23 He will die because he refused to be corrected.

His sins will capture him because he was very foolish.