14 The mouth of an adulteress is a deep pit: He who is under Yahweh's wrath will fall into it.
For a prostitute is a deep pit; And a wayward wife is a narrow well.
I find more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and traps, whose hands are chains. Whoever pleases God shall escape from her; but the sinner will be ensnared by her.
To keep you from the immoral woman, From the flattery of the wayward wife's tongue. Don't lust after her beauty in your heart, Neither let her captivate you with her eyelids. For a prostitute reduces you to a piece of bread. The adulteress hunts for your precious life. Can a man scoop fire into his lap, And his clothes not be burned? Or can one walk on hot coals, And his feet not be scorched? So is he who goes in to his neighbor's wife. Whoever touches her will not be unpunished.
Yahweh saw [it], and abhorred [them], Because of the provocation of his sons and his daughters.
She said, The Philistines are on you, Samson. He awoke out of his sleep, and said, I will go out as at other times, and shake myself free. But he didn't know that Yahweh had departed from him. The Philistines laid hold on him, and put out his eyes; and they brought him down to Gaza, and bound him with fetters of brass; and he did grind in the prison-house.
So I let them go after the stubbornness of their hearts, That they might walk in their own counsels.
To deliver you from the strange woman, Even from the foreigner who flatters with her words; Who forsakes the friend of her youth, And forgets the covenant of her God: For her house leads down to death, Her paths to the dead. None who go to her return again, Neither do they attain to the paths of life:
For the lips of an adulteress drip honey. Her mouth is smoother than oil, But in the end she is as bitter as wormwood, And as sharp as a two-edged sword. Her feet go down to death. Her steps lead straight to Sheol. She gives no thought to the way of life. Her ways are crooked, and she doesn't know it. Now therefore, my sons, listen to me. Don't depart from the words of my mouth. Remove your way far from her. Don't come near the door of her house, Lest you give your honor to others, And your years to the cruel one; Lest strangers feast on your wealth, And your labors enrich another man's house. You will groan at your latter end, When your flesh and your body are consumed, And say, "How I have hated instruction, And my heart despised reproof; Neither have I obeyed the voice of my teachers, Nor turned my ear to those who instructed me! I have come to the brink of utter ruin, In the midst of the gathered assembly." Drink water out of your own cistern, Running water out of your own well. Should your springs overflow in the streets, Streams of water in the public squares? Let them be for yourself alone, Not for strangers with you. Let your spring be blessed. Rejoice in the wife of your youth. A loving doe and a graceful deer-- Let her breasts satisfy you at all times. Be captivated always with her love. For why should you, my son, be captivated with an adulteress? Why embrace the bosom of another? For the ways of man are before the eyes of Yahweh. He examines all his paths. The evil deeds of the wicked ensnare him. The cords of his sin hold him firmly. He will die for lack of instruction. In the greatness of his folly, he will go astray.
That they may keep you from the strange woman, From the foreigner who flatters with her words. For at the window of my house, I looked out through my lattice. I saw among the simple ones. I discerned among the youths a young man void of understanding, Passing through the street near her corner, He went the way to her house, In the twilight, in the evening of the day, In the middle of the night and in the darkness. Behold, there a woman met him with the attire of a prostitute, And with crafty intent. She is loud and defiant. Her feet don't stay in her house. Now she is in the streets, now in the squares, And lurking at every corner. So she caught him, and kissed him. With an impudent face she said to him: "Sacrifices of peace-offerings are with me. This day I have paid my vows. Therefore I came out to meet you, To diligently seek your face, And I have found you. I have spread my couch with carpets of tapestry, With striped cloths of the yarn of Egypt. I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. Come, let's take our fill of loving until the morning. Let's solace ourselves with loving. For my husband isn't at home. He has gone on a long journey. He has taken a bag of money with him. He will come home at the full moon." With persuasive words, she led him astray. With the flattering of her lips, she seduced him. He followed her immediately, As an ox goes to the slaughter, As a fool stepping into a noose. Until an arrow strikes through his liver, As a bird hurries to the snare, And doesn't know that it will cost his life. Now therefore, sons, listen to me. Pay attention to the words of my mouth. Don't let your heart turn to her ways. Don't go astray in her paths, For she has thrown down many wounded. Yes, all her slain are a mighty host. Her house is the way to Sheol, Going down to the chambers of death.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Proverbs 22
Commentary on Proverbs 22 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 22
Pr 22:1-29.
1. A good name—(Job 30:8, Hebrew); "good" is supplied here from Ec 7:1.
loving favour—kind regard, that is, of the wise and good.
2. Before God all are on the same footing (Pr 14:31; 17:5).
3. are punished—that is, for their temerity; for the evil is not necessarily punitive, as the prudent might otherwise be its objects.
4. humility and the fear of the Lord—are in apposition; one produces the other. On the results, compare Pr 3:16; 8:18.
5. he that … them—Those who properly watch over their own souls are thus preserved from the dangers which attend the way of perverse men (Pr 16:17).
6. Train—initiate, or early instruct.
the way—literally, "his way," that selected for him in which he should go; for early training secures habitual walking in it.
7. The influence of wealth sets aside moral distinctions is implied, and, of course, disapproved (compare Pr 19:6; 21:14, &c.).
8. (Compare Pr 11:18; Ps 109:16-20; Ga 6:7, 8).
the rod … fail—His power to do evil will be destroyed.
9. a bountiful eye—that is, a beneficent disposition.
for he giveth … poor—His acts prove it.
10. Cast out—or drive away. Scorners foster strife by taunts and revilings.
11. (Compare Margin).
pureness of heart—and gentle, kind words win favor, even from kings.
12. preserve—or guard.
knowledge—its principles and possessors.
overthroweth—utterly confounds and destroys the wicked.
13. Frivolous excuses satisfy the indolent man's conscience.
14. The mouth—or flattering speeches (Pr 5:3; 7:5) ensnare man, as pits, beasts. God makes their own sin their punishment.
15. is bound—or firmly fixed. Chastisement deters from crime and so leads to reformation of principle.
16. These two vices pertain to the same selfish feeling. Both are deservedly odious to God and incur punishment.
17. Here begins another division of the book, marked by those encouragements to the pursuit of wisdom, which are found in the earlier chapters. It will be observed that at Pr 22:22-24:12, the proverbs are generally expressed in two verses instead of one (see Introduction).
18. These lessons must be laid up in the mind, and
fitted—or better, "fixed" in the lips so as to be ever ready.
19. That … Lord—This is the design of the instruction.
20. excellent things—or probably of former times.
counsels and knowledge—both advice and instruction.
21. Specially he desires to secure accuracy, so that his pupil may teach others.
22, 23. Here follow ten precepts of two verses each. Though men fail to defend the poor, God will (Pr 17:5; Ps 12:5).
in the gate—place of public gathering (Job 5:4; Ps 69:12).
24, 25. (Compare Pr 2:12-15; 4:14).
25. a snare … soul—The unsuspecting are often misled by bad company.
26, 27. (Compare Pr 6:1; 17:18).
27. should he take, &c.—that is, the creditor.
28. (Compare Pr 23:10). Do not entrench on others (De 19:14; 27:17).
29. Success rewards diligence (Pr 10:4; 21:5).