Works Volume 4, Chapter 7
CHAP. VII.
1. MY ſon, keep my words, and lay up my commandments with thee ,
2. Keep my commandments and live, and my law as the apple of thine eye,
3. Bind them upon thy fingers, write them upon the table of thine heart.
4. Say unto wiſedom, thou art my Siſter, and call underſtanding thy *acquaintance, foreignkinſwoman.
5. That they may keep thee from the ſtrange woman, from the ſtranger which flattereth with her words.
Paraphrase. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. And as the caution thus far inſiſted on, ch. 6. was that which all parents ſee neceſſary, timely and frequently to inculcate to their ſons, v. 20. ſo is it an eminent part of the admonition of wiſedom, to all her children, as thereby is meant the commandment of God, and the eternal wiſedom of the Father, the Meſſias and Son of God. There is no duty that theſe exact of all more indiſpenſably to be treaſured up in the heart, in order to continual practice, to be prized as life, and guarded as that which is ſooneſt hurt, and moſt tenderly valued by men, to be obſerved in all their actions, and imprinted in their very hearts, as the Law by the finger of God was engraven in the tables of ſtone; No more genuine branch of true ſaving knowledge, that more nearly allies us to the purity and wiſedom of God, than is a conſtant and obſtinate chaſtity, that will never be enſnared with the moſt liberal promiſes and invitations of the moſt pleaſant ſin, or by the moſt cunning and flattering ſoliciter drawn into any unlawfull embraces.
6. For at the window of my houſe I looked through the caſement.
7. And beheld among the ſimple ones, I diſcerned among the †ſons, foreignyouths a young man, ‖lacked …s heart, ſee ch. 6.31.void of underſtanding,
8. Paſſing through the ſtreet near her corner, and he went the way to her houſe,
9. In the twilight, in the evening, in the dark and black night:
10. And behold there met him a woman with attyre of an harlot, and *taking or deſtroying the hear….ſubtil of heart.
Paraphrase. 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. And certainly there is great need of caution to be timely given to all young men, and ſadly conſidered by them, there being nothing of more ordinary experience and obſervation than the ſeduction of ſuch to this waſting ſin; He that ſhall but look out of his window into the ſtreets, where the young men reſort, ſhall ever and anon ſee ſome ſuch unwary ſeducible perſon thus enſnared; If he have any deſign or project that way, and diſcover it but by walking toward that part of the city where any ſuch a Merchant dwells, either in the dark of the night, or the ſhutting of the evening, he ſhall be ſure to meet with this game, without much ſeeking; If any man be diſcern'd to be of ſuch inclinations, ſhe is ready for him, prevents his enquiries or ſolicitations, comes out in a dreſs which tells him what ſhe is, and addreſſeth her ſelf to him with her artifices, beſiegeth and takes him preſently.
(11. She is †prati… and running about.loud and ſtubborn, her feet abide not in her houſe,
12. Now is ſhe ‖abroad.without, now in the ſtreets, and lieth in wait at every corner.)
Paraphrase. 11, 12. (By this you may know her; ſhe is extremely bold and forward to talk, runneth about from place to place, never keeps within doors, as all ſober and chaſt perſons are wont to doe, but intrudeth her ſelf into all company, is in all places of publick reſort, and where any prey can be hoped for, there ſhe lies in ambuſh to ſeiſe on it, and in order thereto, chooſes out the corners of the ſtreet for her ſtation, from whence ſhe hath the fairer proſpect, ſees and hath the command of all that paſs through either of the ſtreets, which thus meet in that corner (ſee Matth. 6.5.)
13. So ſhe caught him and kiſſed him, and with an *firm compoſed countenance, foreignimpudent face ſaid unto him,
14. I have peace-offerings with me, this day have I paid my vows.
15. Therefore I came out to meet thee, diligently to ſeek thy face, and I have found thee.
16. I have deckt my bed with coverings of tapeſtry, with carved works with fine linnen of Aegypt.
17. I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes and cinnamon;
18. Come let us take our fill of love till the morning, let us ſolace our ſelves with loves.
Paraphrase. 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18. And generally the firſt of her addreſs is with great familiarity of kindneſs, then with great conſtancy of look, as if ſhe were in great earneſt, ſhe invites him home to an entertainment at her houſe, pretends ſhe had received ſome mercy from God, for which ſhe had vow'd a ſacrifice of thankſgiving, and this being the day of paying her vow, ſhe had conſequently a ſacrifical feaſt at home, and ſhe could not ſatisfie her ſelf to eat it without his company; and to be ſure of it, ſhe would not truſt to the care of a meſſenger to invite him, but came out her ſelf to make dilige… inquiſition for him to carry him home with her; And having put on this mask of piety to introduce it, ſhe proceeds to downright bare-fac'd ſolicitation, tells him how ſhe hath adorned and perfumed the very bed with all coſtly furniture, and incenſe; and by theſe and the like advantageous allectives ſhe attracts him to her embraces.
19. For the †My huſband, foreigngood man is not at home, he is gone a long journey.
20. He hath taken a bag of money with him, and will come home at ‖new moonthe day appointed.
Paraphrase. 19, 20. Then leſt he ſhould be deterred by the danger of the ſin, and the effects of the husband's rage, ſhe aſſures him, he is gone a long journey, and taken proviſion with him for a competent ſpace, and will not return again till the next month.
21. With much fair ſpeech ſhe cauſed him to yield, with the flattering of her lips ſhe forced him.
Paraphrase. 21. And by theſe and the like artifices ſhe prevails with him, and carries him with a kind of violence to his ruine.
22. He goeth after her ſtraight way as an oxe goeth to the ſlaughter, or *as a fool danceth to his chair…, or, as a tinkling ornament to the correction of a fool.as a fool to the correction of the ſtocks.
Paraphrase. 22. By ſuch fair promiſes of ſenſual pleaſures, and ſecurity in the enjoying them, he is led on as inſenſibly and unconcernedly as the Oxe that is led crown'd to the place of ſlaughter, and knoweth not nor ſuſpecteth any ſuch danger; and not onelyonly unconcernedly, but gladly, danceth, as it were, to his execution, as a fool which is pleaſed and gratified with his tinkling ornaments, when indeed he is led to puniſhment in them; On theſe motives he goes on confidently and chearfully to the commiſſion of this ſin, which coſts him ſo dear at laſt.
23. Till a dart ſtrike through his liver, as a bird haſteth to the ſnare, and knoweth not that it is for his life.
Paraphrase. 23. And thus he goes on without dread or heſitancy, till he be wounded as a deer, by the arrow of the hunter, or engaged, like a bird, in the fowler's ſnare; one ſuch act of ſin introduced with thoſe flattering invitations, becomes ſuch a wound and ſnare to his ſoul, ſuch a waſting of all grace, and even common notions of piety, and juſtice, and purity in his heart, that he ſeldom gets out again, and ſo though his expectations of carnal pleaſure, and no apprehenſions of any farther inconvenience, made him greedily to take down this morſel, it proves to his dammage moſt poiſonous and mortiferous, and ſo his caſe, when he is thus ſeduced and enſnared, though to him it ſeem very deſirable, is moſt ſadly to be compaſſionated and averted, as being that which betrays all the joys and comforts of his life, delivers him up to all noiſom effects, beggery, reproach, diſeaſes, and even to death it ſelf.
24. Hearken to me now therefore, O ye children, and attend unto the words of my mouth.
25. Let not thy heart decline to her ways, go not aſtray in her paths.
Paraphrase. 24, 25. This moſt ſad but true and obvious repreſentation, ſo frequently experimented among men, may render it a very neceſſary and ſeaſonable advice to all that pretend to be the ſons of wiſedom, that make profeſſion of piety, or that have any reſpect or care of themſelves, even of their ſecular condition, the comforts and advantages of this life, to reſiſt the firſt approaches of this ſin, not to yield to the flattering tenders either of pleaſure from, or ſecurity in it, to bid defiance to all theſe and the like ſuggeſtions, and to believe and conſtantly adhere to the ſober advices here promiſed, of preſerving entire the purity of the very heart.
26. For ſhe hath caſt down many wounded, yea many ſtrong men have been ſlain by her.
27. Her houſe is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death.
Paraphrase. 26, 27. For without laying this caution to heart, of reſiſting and defying the firſt ſuggeſtions, there is no hope of ever keeping from this ſin; or, yielding to the ſin, from the ruine that conſtantly attends it, without repentance and thorow change. All experience aſſuring us, that nothing elſe can poſſibly ſecure us, the moſt valiant and couragious heroes of the world, the moſt puiſſant ſouldiers that never yielded to any other enemies, ſtood out undaunted againſt all aſſaults, having generally been vanquiſhed and captivated, and deſtroyed by the allurements of women; And ſo likewiſe nothing more viſible and obvious to the obſervation of all, than the ruines which befall ſuch as are thus enſnared, the yielding to this ſin, is like the falling down a precipice, the direct path to irreparable deſtruction.
Annotations on Chap. VII.
V. 10. Subtil of heart] What foreign ſignifies cannot be doubted, if the concurrence of all the ancient Interpreters may have force with us. The Chaldee and Syriack agree in the ſame rendring foreign, ſeparating, or taking away the hearts of young men, from foreign which is uſed by them, ch. 4.16. where we reade is taken away; The LXXII. reade foreign, which makes the hearts of young men fly out, and the Latin, praeparata ad capiendas animas, prepared to catch ſouls; All this, in all probability, as deducing the word, not from foreign, to keep, (as the Interlinear, reading ſervata, appear to doe) but either from a contrary notion of that word, to lay waſte, or deſtroy, that which was kept, and fortified, as Nah. 2.1. foreign, to deſtroy the munition, ſaith the learned Schindler, and ſo Jer. 4.16. foreign, not watchers, but deſtroyers; (alluding to the name of Nebuchadnezzar foreign) where the LXXII. hath foreign, deſtructions; or elſe more probably from foreign which among other ſignifications imports to beſiege a City, &c. in order to the taking of it. This I ſuppoſe (from the ſuffrage of all) in the active not paſſive ſenſe, deſtroying or beſieging others; and ſo the heart is by the Chaldee and Syriack and LXXII. explained to be the hearts of young men; for want of obſerving which, the learned Schindler explicating this paſſage twice, once under the word foreign, and again under foreign, and taking it in the paſſive in both, gives interpretations not eaſily reconcileable; from foreign, rendring it deſtructa corde, omni carens prudentia, deſtroy'd in heart, wanting all pru…nce, and from foreign, obſeſſa corde, circumvallata aſtutia, encamped or encompaſſed, or intrencht with ſubtlety, from which notion we ſeem to have taken [ſubtle of heart.
V. 11. Loud and ſtubborn] The Hebrew foreign, from foreign, tumultuari, fremere, garrire, may here beſt be rendred prating or keeping adoe; the Chaldee and Syriack render it by foreign, from the notion of foreign, for querulous as well as rebellious; The tranſlatour of the Chaldee renders it as from the latter praevaricatrix, the tranſlatour of the Syriack, petulans, petulant, and the vulgar have garrula, prating. Then for foreign, from foreign, or foreign, it ſignifies diverting, flitting, not onelyonly from the right way, but from one place to another, and ſo the Chaldee renders it foreign, wandring, and the Syr. foreign, the very foreign, noting all kind of wantonneſs, and luxury, running from houſe to houſe, a feaſting, &c. For the former of theſe the LXXII. have foreign, volatile, (Aquila, foreign, idle) for the latter foreign, luxurious. By both which, this ill womans character is ſet down ſomewhat like that of the younger women, 1 Tim. 5.13. foreign, idle, going about houſes, foreign, and not ſo onelyonly, but tatlers or praters. And this ſeems to be the exacteſt rendring, not loud and ſtubborn, but prating and flitting, or running about from houſe to houſe, as is expreſt in what follows, her feet abide not in her houſe, (contrary to that of the ſober women, Tit. 2.5. who are foreign, keepers at home.) Now ſhe is without, now in the ſtreets, &c.
V. 20. Day appointed] From foreign, to hide, is foreign, the new moon, or time when the moon is hidden; and ſo foreign here (ה being changed into א) the day of new moon. To this the Chaldee refer by foreign, the day of aſſembly, for ſuch the New Moon was among the Jews, as the Calends among other Nations. The vulgar Latin render it in die plenae lunae, in the day of full moon, plenae being ſome way miſtaken for novae, and ſo it ſhould be in all probability the new moon. See Note on Pſal. 81.6. This the LXXII. expreſs not, but content themſelves with that which was ſufficient to the matter in hand, foreign, after many days. Our rendring it a day appointed, ſuppoſes foreign to be from foreign, ſupputavit; But the former is more genuine.
foreignV. 22. A fool to the correction of the ſtocks] The difficulty of …nderſtanding this paſſage muſt firſt be explained from the original; The words there are foreign, and the onelyonly word that will want explaining is foreign. This is thought to ſignifie a fetter, or ſome other punitive reſtreint belonging to the feet, which our Engliſh renders the Stocks, but it evidently ſignifies an ornament of the feet, ſomewhat uſed in time of jollity. Thus Iſa. 3.16. among the ſeveral expreſſions of the pride of Sion, we have foreign, we render it, making a tinkling with their feet, as the Interlinear, tinniebant, the LXXII. foreign, playing with their feet, the Chaldee renders it foreign, from foreign, which ſignifies motion, or commotion; If that be of the body, then it is moving with the feet, i. e. dancing (and to that the vulgar Latin ſeem to refer, compoſito gradu incedebant, they went in a formed path) but the word foreign belongs alſo to the motion of the mind, and then it ſignifies to provoke; and in that notion 'tis evident the Syriack there uſe it, who reade foreign, they provoke the Lord. This rendring of the Chaldee's was moſt probably, by miſtaking foreign for foreign, for that ſignifies to provoke to anger, which the Syriack ſeeing, have rendred it by both dancing and provoking, they dance with the feet, and provoke the Lord to anger. But the true meaning of the verb in that place muſt needs be diſcerned by v. 18. where we have the noun, the ſame which here, foreign, we reade, the bravery of their tinkling ornaments, but the Chaldee (and with them the Latin) reads foreign, of their ſhoes, and the LXXII. foreign, of their cloathing, and ſo the Syriack and Arabick, all agreeing to make foreign as it muſt needs be there an ornament of the feet. And then in all reaſon we muſt ſo take it here, there being no other place of the Scripture, from whence we ſhould pretend to fetch any other importance of the word. In this ſenſe the literal rendring of the paſſage will be, as an ornament for the correction of a fool, i. e. as when a fool hath ſome ornament or bravery put on him, and in that goes, or is carried to correction. Thus will it perfectly agree with the foregoing ſimilitude of an oxe going to the ſlaughter, or to the ſacrifice, who when he goes thither, diſcerns not but that he is going to a fair paſture, or, as it was an ancient cuſtom, goes with a Garland or Crown on his head when he goes to be ſacrificed. As that Garland is to the Oxe, ſo this ornament to the fool; and then as the fool thus ſet out, never imagins he goes to correction, and the oxe never thinks of his approaching ſlaughter, ſo this ſeducible young man, allured by promiſes of pleaſure and ſecurity, goes to his own miſchief and ruine. If there ſeem any difficulty in this rendring, then will that be cleared by taking foreign for a verb, ſignifying as it doth in Iſaiah, to wear that tinkling ornament on his feet, and then foreign will be, as a fool danceth, (parallel to foreign, as a bird haſtens, v. 23.) foreign, to the bond or chain (ſo foreign ſignifies from foreign, ligavit) by which he is tied to the poſt for correction, he goes on merrily and jollily though it be to the place of correction that he goes. Thus it is certain Symmachus underſtood it, who reads foreign, a fool leaping, dancing to the fetters or bonds: and to the ſame ſenſe more paraphraſtically the Latin, quaſi agnus laſciviens & ignorans quod ad vincula ſtultus trahatur, and as a lamb leaping wantonly, and not knowing the fool is drawn to bonds. In this paſſage the laſt word foreign, a fool, is by the Chaldee and Syriack and LXXII. and Arabick, transformed into foreign, a deer or ſtagg, and ſo ſet, as another ſimilitude to which that which follows of the arrow or dart ſtriking through his liver, may be literally applied; and thus underſtanding it, ſeeing there is no ſubſtantive to ſupply the place of the fool in this part of the period, they all join to reade here a dog, (though there be no word that ſounds that way, but meaning it as a paraphraſe) foreign, ſay the Chaldee, and as a dog to the chain or bonds, and the Syriack in the ſame words, and alſo the LXXII. foreign, and as a dog to the bonds; And then follows, foreign, or as a deer ſtruck with a dart into the liver, and ſo the reſt alſo. From hence it is, ſaith the learned Val. Schindler, that the Hebrews expound foreign by one that hath thoſe tinkling ornaments, bells about his heels, leaping and frisking like a dog. And ſo by this underſtanding of the paſſage, all the rendrings of the ancient Interpreters, if not as literal, yet as uſing the liberty of paraphraſts, will be accorded.
V. 26. Many ſtrong men] The Hebrew here reads not many, but all,] foreign, i. e. literally, and ſtrong are all her ſlain, i. e. all the ſlain are the ſtrong, if we join foreign, all] to foreign, her ſlain] as is moſt reaſonable; and ſo the Chaldee ſeems to reade foreign, ſtrong are all her ſlain, and ſo the Syriack, both literally following the Hebrew. And then the meaning is, men of ſtrength and valour in other things, thoſe that have been the moſt famed and reputed of in that kind have generally been wounded and ſlain by theſe darts. But if we permit foreign, all] to affect the foregoing foreign, ſtrong] then it is, all the ſtrong are her ſlain, by all the ſtrong, meaning all the moſt ſtrong or renowned for ſtrength, thoſe that have excelled all others in ſtrength. So the vulgar Latin reads expreſly, fortiſſimi quique interfecti ſunt ab ea, all the moſt valiant have been ſlain by her. The LXXII. to avoid the difficulty, leave out the word ſtrong, and reade foreign, they are innumerable whom ſhe hath ſlain. But Symmachus and Theodotion more literally, foreign, all the ſtrong.
V. 1. In the end the LXXII. adds, foreign, my ſon, honour the Lord, and thou ſhalt be ſtrong, but beſide him fear no other.
V. 6. For my houſe] and I looked] they reade (as of the woman) foreign, her houſe, and foreign, ſhe looked] and ſo underſtand this and the following verſes of the whores watching whom ſhe may ſeduce. 'Tis probable this was by reading not foreign, my houſe, as we have it, and the Chaldee, and the Latin, but foreign, her houſe.
V. 8. For foreign, he went, they reade foreign, talking, not that the word hath any ſuch ſignification, but becauſe they thought that circumſtance of walking ſufficiently expreſs'd before in the beginning of the verſe.
V. 18. For foreign, ſolace, from foreign, exultavit, they reade foreign, referring to the cuſtom of wreſtlers, to which Aquila alſo refers, in reading foreign, and the Chaldee foreign, from foreign, to ſtrive, or wreſtle.
V. 22. For foreign ſtraight way, they reade foreign, eaſily ſeduced, the word is taken from a fooliſh bird which the fiſher boys toll and catch with the foam of the Sea, and ſignifies proverbially foreign, one that is quickly and eaſily drawn or ſeduced or deceived, foreign, ſaith Heſychius) and this by way of paraphraſe; yet alſo with reſpect to the original notion of foreign, or foreign, ſimple or fooliſh. But Aquila and Theodotion reade more literally foreign, preſently.