Proverbs 7:18

Pro 7:18 Come, let us take our fill of love until the morning: let us solace ourselves with loves.

Ver. 18. Until the morning.] But what if death draw the curtains, and look in the while? If death do not, yet guilt will. And here beasts are more happy in carnal contentments than sensual voluptaries; for in their delights they seldom surfeit, but never sin; and so never find any cause or use for pangs of repentance, as epicures do, whose pleasure passeth, but a sting stays behind. Job calleth sparks the "sons of fire," being engendered by it upon fuel; as pleasures are the sons of men’s lusts, when the object and they lie and couple together. And they are not long lived; they are but as sparks, they die as soon as begotten.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

7:18 let’s drink our fill of love: cp. Song 5:1.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

There is no fear of discovery.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 18. Come, let us take our fill of love] נרוה דדים nirveh dodim, "Let us revel in the breasts;" and then it is added, "Let us solace ourselves with loves," נתעלסה באהבים nithallesah boohabim; "let us gratify each other with loves, with the utmost delights." This does not half express the original; but I forbear. The speech shows the brazen face of this woman, well translated by the Vulgate, "Veni, inebriemur uberibus; et fruamur cupidinis amplexibus." And the Septuagint has expressed the spirit of it: Ελθε, και απολαυσωμεν φιλιας - δευρο, και εγκυλισθωμεν ερωτι. "Veni, et fruamur amicitia - Veni, et colluctemur cupidine." Though varied in the words, all the versions have expressed the same thing. In the old MS. Bible, the speech of this woman is as follows: - I have arrayed with cordis my litil bed, and spred with peyntid tapetis of Egipt: I have springid my ligginge place with mirre and aloes and canelcum, and be we inwardly drunken with Tetis, and use we the coveytied clippingis to the tyme that the dai wax light. The original itself is too gross to be literally translated; but quite in character as coming from the mouth of an abandoned woman.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

For the good man is not at home,.... Or, "for the man is not in his house" (y). She does not say, "my man", or "my husband"; though the Septuagint. Syriac, and Arabic versions so render it; lest this should throw some difficulty in the young man's way, or remind herself of her conjugal obligation; but "the man", by way of contempt, as disowning him for her husband, or, however, having no regard for him in comparison of others: and this she says to encourage the young man to go with her; since her husband was gone, and show as alone, and mistress of the house;

he is gone a long journey; or, "a way afar off" (z); into a distant country, and therefore need not fears return of him that night; she was prepared to answer all objections. The good man of the house may be understood of Christ, who is gone into a far country, to heaven, to take a kingdom to himself, and return, Luk 19:12; and in the mean while the church of Rome, who professes herself the true church and spouse of Christ, is committing fornication with the kings of the earth; and has set up another in his room and stead, whom she calls Christ's vicar on earth; and flatters herself and her lovers with impunity, from his distance from her, and his vicar having a right to do as he pleases.

(y) "quia non est vir in domo suo", Pagninus, Montanus, Mercerus, &c. (z) "in via longinqua", Pagninus, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Mercerus, Cocceius, Gejerus, Schultens; "in via a longinquo", Montanus.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Inebriated. Protestants, "take our fill of love until the morning: let us solace ourselves with loves." (Haydock) --- This passion is a sort of intoxication. (Menochius)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

18. Let us take — Literally, let us drink. The verse needs no comment. Our translation is sufficiently literal, and is better than the Septuagint, Vulgate, and others.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Let us take our fill of love; let us intoxicate ourselves (inebriemur, Vulgate); as though the reason were overthrown by sensual passion as much as by drunkenness. The bride in Son_1:2 says, "Thy love is better than, wine". (see Pro_5:15, Pro_5:19, and note there)

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.