Paragraph 2:16–19

This paragraph describes the second evil influence from which wisdom will protect a person. It will prevent him from being seduced by an adulteress.

2:16

Notice the parallel parts that are similar in meaning:

16a It will rescue you from the forbidden woman,

16b
from the stranger with seductive words

There is an ellipsis of the words “It will rescue you” at the beginning of 2:16b. (See the note on the similar ellipsis at 2:12.)

The “forbidden woman” in 2:16a refers to the same person as the “stranger” in 2:16b. The phrase “seductive words” adds an additional detail. It refers equally to the “forbidden woman” and the “stranger.”

2:16a

It will rescue you from the forbidden woman: In Hebrew, this verse begins with the same word as in 2:12a. It is literally “to save you.” If it is natural in your language, you should use the same word here as in 2:12a. This will make clear to the readers that the forbidden woman is the second thing from which wisdom will save a person.

If it is not clear to your readers what will save a person from the adulteress, you may add the word “wisdom,” as the God’s Word has done:

Wisdom will also save you… (God’s Word)

Here, as in 2:12a, It (wisdom) is personified. In some languages, it may not be natural to talk about wisdom in this way. Another way to express the meaning without using this figure of speech is:

If you are wise, you will not yield to the temptation of the adulteress

the forbidden woman: The Hebrew phrase ʾiššah zarah, which the Berean Standard Bible translates as forbidden woman, is more literally “strange woman.” In Hebrew culture, a wife was considered “strange” to any man other than her husband. The description of this woman in 2:17 makes it clear that this phrase refers to an adulterous/unfaithful wife. It does not refer to an unmarried, immoral woman.

2:16b

the stranger: The Hebrew word nokǝriyyah, which the Berean Standard Bible translates as stranger, usually means “foreign woman” or “strange woman.” However, in Proverbs it refers to a wife who commits adultery (see also 5:20a–b, 7:5, 23:27b).

with seductive words: This phrase is more literally “who makes smooth her words.” It means that she uses flattering words that entice the young man by appealing to his pride. Other ways to translate this phrase are:

who tries to seduce you with her smooth talk (Good News Translation)
-or-
from the flattery of the adulterous woman (New Living Translation (1996))

This same idea is expressed figuratively in 5:3a–b, 6:24a–b and 7:21a–b.

General Comment on 2:16a–b

The parallel terms “forbidden woman” and “stranger” refer to a single class of women who commit adultery. They do not refer to a particular individual. If using parallel expressions implies two kinds of women or if using two synonymous phrases sounds redundant, you may want to combine and/or reorder the parallel terms. For example:

It will save you from the unfaithful wife who tries to lead you into adultery with pleasing words. (New Century Version)

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