Hast thou not read, and dost thou not know, concerning those elders who were in the days of Susanna, who, because they were constantly with women, and looking upon the beauty which was another's, [486] fell into the depths of wantonness, and were not able to keep themselves in a chaste mind, [487] but were overcome by a depraved disposition, and came suddenly [488] upon the blessed Susanna to corrupt her. But she did not consent to their foul passion, but cried unto God, and God saved her out of the hands of the bad old men. Does it not, therefore, behove us to tremble and be afraid, forasmuch as these old men, judges and elders of the people of God, fell from their dignity because of a woman? For they did not keep in mind that which is said: "Look thou not on the beauty which is another's;" and, "The beauty of woman has destroyed many;" [489] and "With a married woman do not sit;" [490] and that, again, in which it says: "Is there any one that puts fire in his bosom, and does not burn his clothes;" [491] or, "Does a man walk on fire, and his feet are not scorched? So whosoever goeth in to another man's wife is not pure from evil, and whosoever comes near to her shall not escape." [492] And again it says: "Thou shalt not long after the beauty a woman, lest she take thee captive with her eyelids;" [493] and, "Thou shalt not look upon a maiden, lest thou perish through desire of her;" [494] and, "With a woman that sings beautifully thou shalt not constantly be;" [495] and, "Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall." [496]

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Footnotes:

[486] Susanna having a husband, Joachim.

[487] Lit. "a mind of chasteness."

[488] Lit. "rose."

[489] Ecclus. ix. 8, 9.

[490] Ecclus. ix. 12.

[491] Proverbs 6:27.

[492] Proverbs 6:28, 29.

[493] Proverbs 6:25.

[494] Ecclus. ix. 5.

[495] Ecclus. ix. 4.

[496] 1 Corinthians 10:12.