¹ My son, keep my words
   and store up my commands within you.
² Keep my commands and you will live;
   guard my teachings as the apple of your eye.
³ Bind them on your fingers;
   write them on the tablet of your heart.
⁴ Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,”
   and to insight, “You are my relative.”
⁵ They will keep you from the adulterous woman,
   from the wayward woman with her seductive words.

 ⁶ At the window of my house
   I looked down through the lattice.
⁷ I saw among the simple,
   I noticed among the young men,
   a youth who had no sense.
⁸ He was going down the street near her corner,
   walking along in the direction of her house
⁹ at twilight, as the day was fading,
   as the dark of night set in.

 ¹⁰ Then out came a woman to meet him,
   dressed like a prostitute and with crafty intent.
¹¹ (She is unruly and defiant,
   her feet never stay at home;
¹² now in the street, now in the squares,
   at every corner she lurks.)
¹³ She took hold of him and kissed him
   and with a brazen face she said:

 ¹⁴ “Today I fulfilled my vows,
   and I have food from my fellowship offering at home.
¹⁵ So I came out to meet you;
   I looked for you and have found you!
¹⁶ I have covered my bed
   with colored linens from Egypt.
¹⁷ I have perfumed my bed
   with myrrh, aloes and cinnamon.
¹⁸ Come, let’s drink deeply of love till morning;
   let’s enjoy ourselves with love!
¹⁹ My husband is not at home;
   he has gone on a long journey.
²⁰ He took his purse filled with money
   and will not be home till full moon.”

 ²¹ With persuasive words she led him astray;
   she seduced him with her smooth talk.
²² All at once he followed her
   like an ox going to the slaughter,
like a deer^[a] stepping into a noose^[b]
 23 till an arrow pierces his liver,
like a bird darting into a snare,
   little knowing it will cost him his life.

 ²⁴ Now then, my sons, listen to me;
   pay attention to what I say.
²⁵ Do not let your heart turn to her ways
   or stray into her paths.
²⁶ Many are the victims she has brought down;
   her slain are a mighty throng.
²⁷ Her house is a highway to the grave,
   leading down to the chambers of death.

Adulterous Person

The figure in the passage who leads the man astray is an adulterous woman – it could easily be a man.  We need to take the principles of the passage and realise that just like wicked men are depicted in chapter one, wicked women are depicted here.  However, there are violent women and there are seductive men.  The lure of the adulterous woman is highly sensual.  Sensual is not bad.  Song of Songs praises an erotic union that includes sensual indulgence.  However, the lust here is shallow and only arouses the senses.  There is no real intimacy; there is no coming together of like minds.  The young man pursues an erotic fantasy but reality ruins him.  Pornography and prostitution feed on fantasy, but they do not ruin a person as completely as adultery.  Men also seduce women.  They become an emotional safe place.  Men can be charming and attentive, but soon it is a snare and the woman is caught in a tangled web of intrigue that can only lead to ruin.  In this foolish age we excuse the path to ruin because our emotions take us there and we can’t help it.  However,wise people think as they act.  We need to raise children who do not react with the pull of their emotions only, but who are mindful of where such emotions take them.  This means talking about sensate desires and wants and comparing them to the will of God.  Does this thing lead me to God?  Then it is wise.  No adulterous affair leads a person closer to God.

Questions

1. What does the woman do to seduce the man?
2. How is this woman a contrast to Lady Wisdom?
3. Why is the youth destroyed?
4. What do people use to seduce others today?
5. What makes a person ripe for an affair?