Admonition not rashly and unadvisedly to incur responsibility for other persons. 1 O MY SON, if thou hast become a surety for another— If thou hast stricken hands for a stranger— 2 If thou art ensnared by the words of thy mouth- For thou hast fallen into the hands of thy neighbour; Go, humble thyself and be urgent with thy neighbour. 4 Allow not sleep to thine eyes, Nor slumber to thine eye-lids. 5 Rescue thyself as the gazelle from the snare, And as a bird from the snare of the fowler. Exhortation to imitate the persevering and provident industry of the ant. 6 GO unto the ant, O sluggard, Observe her ways, and be thou wise. 7 She hath no governor, Nor overseer, nor ruler; 8 Yet she prepareth in the summer her food, She gathereth in the harvest her meat. 9 How long, O sluggard, wilt thou lie in bed? When wilt thou arise from thy sleep? 10 "A little sleep" - "a little slumber". "A little folding of the hands to rest" 11 So shall poverty come upon thee, as an invader, Yea, want, as an armed man! The designing and crafty behaviour of the wicked man described. 12 A WORTHLESS man-a man of iniquity Speaketh constantly perverse things. 13 He winketh with his eyes, He speaketh with his feet; He teacheth with his fingers. 14 In his heart is perverseness, He contriveth evil, He at all times spreadeth contentions. 15 Therefore shall calamity come upon him suddenly, In a moment shall he be destroyed, even without remedy. Divers offences enumerated, which are highly displeasing to God. 16 THESE Six things JEHOVAH hateth; Yea, seven are His abomination. 17 Lofty eyes-a false tongue, And the hands which shed innocent blood 10 Solomon in this verse introduces the expostulation of the sluggard, when called upon to leave his bed, and engage in the active duties of life. folding "The fool foldeth his hands together, and eateth his own flesh." Eccles. iv. 5. 11 So i. e. If the sluggard is resolved not to exert himself at the warning voice of his monitor. 12 Speaketh &c.- Heb. walketh (i. e. conducts himself) with perverseness of mouth. 13 speakethi.e. expresses his meaning. 18 The heart which contriveth wicked devicesThe feet which hasten to run after mischief 19 A false witness who breatheth forth lies, And the man, who spreadeth contentions amongst brethren. Attention to parental instruction enforced-Its tendency to guard youth against the seductive arts of profligate women-The great danger of associating with such persons illustrated and described. 20 OBSERVE, O my son, the commandment of thy father, And neglect not the teaching of thy mother. 21 Bind them continually to thy heart, Tie them around thy neck. 22 When thou walkest about, they shall guide thee; When thou liest down to rest, they shall watch over thee; And when thou awakest, they shall commune with thee. 23 For his commandment is a lamp, and her teaching a light; Yea, the rebukes of correction lead unto life. 24 They shall guard thee against the wicked woman. Against the stranger who allureth with her smooth tongue. 25 Desire not her beauty in thy heart, Nor let her captivate thee with her eye-lids. 26 For the harlot bringeth to a morsel of bread, Yea, the adulteress ensnareth life-the precious life! 24 who allureth &c.. Heb. (who is) Compare ii. 16. 25 eye-lids-These are mentioned here, as it was the custom to paint them, with the view of increasing personal attraction. This custom is referred to, 2 Kings ix. 30. Jer. iv. 30. and Ezek. xxiii. 40. 26 life the precious life- Heb. the precious life. i. e. the possession which is most dear to us-"all that a man hath will he give for his life." Job ii. 4. See also ver. 35. 27 Can a man lay hold on fire and put it in his bosom, And yet his garments not be burned? 28 Can a man walk upon burning coals, And yet his feet not be scorched? 29 So it is with him who goeth unto his neighbour's wife, No one, who toucheth her, shall be held guiltless. 30 Do not men hold in contempt the thief, though he steal To satisfy his appetite, because he is hungry? 31 Yea, when discovered, he repayeth manifold, He giveth the whole substance of his house, 32 The adulterer is void of understanding; He who would destroy his own life-let him do this! 33 Stripes and dishonour shall he receive, And his reproach shall not be blotted out. 34 Truly, jealousy is the fury of a man; Therefore he will not show mercy in the day of vengeance. 27 In this and the following verse the sacred writer, having pointed out the heinousness of the adulterer's guilt, shows the utter impossibility of his avoiding the fearful consequences of it. lay hold on &c.-Heb. lay hold on fire into his bosom. bosom-See Ps. xxxv. 13. Note. 29 No one &c.-i. e. The adulterer is guilty in the sight of God and man, and will surely be visited with the severest punishment. For the form of expression, compare Ps. cxix. 85. Note 2. 30 The guilt of the adulterer and also the punishment which he will receive are further to be inferred from the treatment experienced by the thief, whose crime may be attended with circumstances of palliation, whereas that of the adulterer admits of none. 31 manifold-Heb. sevenfold. Compare Ps. cxix. 164. Note. "If a man shall steal an ox or a sheep and kill it or sell it, he shall restore five oxen for an ox and four sheep for a sheep, &c." Exod. xxii. 1, 4. 32 The adulterer-Heb. He who committeth adultery with the wife (of another). do this-i. e. commit the crime of adultery. Solomon expresses himself thus to show, in the most striking manner, the fearful consequences of iniquity. Thus, "he which is filthy, let him be filthy still...... and behold I come quickly and my reward is with me." Rev. xxii. 11, 12. 34 is the fury-i. e. is especially the cause of a man's violent and lasting resentment. This observation applies, with peculiar force, to the inhabitants of the East. "Jealousy is cruel as 35 He will not pay regard to any ransom, Nor consent, although thou shouldest offer many bribes. A further exhortation to attend to instruction-The arts of the adulteress fully described, and their fatal effects upon the simple-Earnest warning against being seduced by her arts into the paths of wickedness. 1 O MY SON, keep my words, And treasure up my commandments within thee. 2 Keep my commandments, and thou shalt live; Yea, keep my teaching as the pupil of thine eye. 3 Bind them upon thy fingers, Write them upon the tablet of thy heart. 4 Say unto wisdom: "Thou art my sister;" And call understanding "Kinswoman." 5 They will guard thee against the strange womanAgainst the stranger, who allureth with her smooth words. 6 For, through the window of my house, By means of my lattice I looked forth; 7 And I saw, amongst the simple onesI discerned, amongst the youths, A young man void of understanding. 8 He was passing through the street near her corner, Yea, he was going the way to her house; |