My son, keep your father’s commandment,
and forsake not your mother’s teaching.
Bind them on your heart always;
tie them around your neck.
When you walk, they will lead you;
when you lie down, they will watch over you;
and when you awake, they will talk with you.
For the commandment is a lamp and the teaching a light,
and the reproofs of discipline are the way of life,
to preserve you from the evil woman,
from the smooth tongue of the adulteress.
Do not desire her beauty in your heart,
and do not let her capture you with her eyelashes;
for the price of a prostitute is only a loaf of bread,
but a married woman hunts down a precious life.
Can a man carry fire next to his chest
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;
none who touches her will go unpunished.
Comment: As always, or at least very frequently, Solomon marks with asterisks, underlines and prints in red, his thoughts about listening to and following the wise advice that you are taught by your parents! He then refers to three sexual type relationships. 1. With prostitutes – which he strongly advises against, likening dealing with them to walking on fire or carrying fire inside your clothes on your chest. Just plain stupid, even if you can get a prostitute or willing, extra-marital partner cheaply! 2. Having sex behind your neighbour’s back with his wife. Solomon doesn’t go into details but he does say ‘ that whoever touches his neighbour’s wife will not go unpunished! Maybe the punishment will be by an unwanted pregnancy, being beaten up by the husband or taken to court. Even if one doesn’t get ‘caught’, God sees! 3. Marriage – and he says that if a wife catches her husband playing around she will be mad enough to commit murder. I think here it means her husband to be the object of murder, but maybe the prostitute or her neighbour’s wife as well!
Prayer: I am sorry, Father God, that our society doesn’t listen to Your word more carefully. Remind us too, please, about what Jesus says about thinking evil thoughts.
As I read it! 