“Her house is the way to Sheol”: Compare this line to 2.18 and 5.5. See also 9.18. It is not simply “Her house” as a building, but rather what takes place in her house. Accordingly, some translate “To go to her house is. . .” or “Visiting her in her house. . ..” For “Sheol” see 1.12. We may translate this line, for example, “When you go to her house you are on your way to the world of the dead,” “Go to her place and you will go on to your grave,” or “The road to her house is the road to the graveyard.”

“Going down to the chambers of death”: “Chambers of death” is an expression parallel to the name Sheol, similar to what is found in 2.18 and 5.5. “Chambers” renders a word meaning “rooms.” “Sheol” is here pictured as a house with many rooms. We may translate verse 27, for example, “Visit her house and you will go to the world of the dead, straight to your grave.” The teacher’s purpose in using such strong metaphorical language is to paint as vivid as possible a picture of the painful consequences of adultery.

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Proverbs. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2000. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .