In contrast to the Seventy's interpretation, which states, "I went round and round in my heart to know," Simmachus offers, "I went round and round in my mind to know, to learn, and to explore." Thus, while Ecclesiastes previously mentioned that he attempted everything through wisdom only to find it continually evading him, he now expresses that he investigated other matters within his wisdom. Specifically, he sought to identify what evil prevails among the deeds of mankind, recognizing what stands foremost in malevolence, foolishness, deception, and madness. He concludes that among all evils, woman holds the primary position, for it is through her that death entered the world, ensnaring the precious souls of humanity.
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Indeed, all adulterers combust with desire within themselves, and woman causes young men's hearts to wither. When she approaches the troubled heart of an unfortunate lover, she pulls him into perdition and is not content to see him prostrate before her; rather, like a net and a snare, she ensnares the hearts of the young. Aquila interprets this as her hands being confined. Although she may entice, she cannot forcibly draw someone against their will. The righteous and virtuous before God will escape her grasp, while the sinful will be ensnared and led to destruction. Let us not assume Solomon's assessment of women was made without cause; he speaks from his own experiences, having incurred God’s wrath due to being led astray by women (3 Kings 11). This aligns with the literal understanding. In a spiritual context, "woman" can represent intense sinfulness and wickedness, symbolized in Zechariah as a woman seated upon a measure of lead (Zech. 5:7). Alternatively, the term woman can also signify the devil, as she weakens our resolve, or idolatry, or even the church of heretics, which attracts the naïve mind so that the one who is deceived consumes the bread and water of a thief—the false sacrament and impure baptism.
THEOSIS