This entire chapter is a father’s warnings to his son about involvement with inappropriate women. Our verses are the conclusion of a longer wise saying (:7-14) which discuss the consequences of such involvement.
Father suggests “at the end of your life” (:11) his son would feel the results of his present choices, and it wouldn’t be a pretty picture. We all know something about living for today without much consideration for the future.
“You will groan, when your flesh and body are spent.” This should not be understood as a result of old age, but physical suffering then due to poor choices now.
Beyond severe physical discomfort, father suggests there will also be mental anguish over his decisions. “How I hated discipline! How my heart spurned correction! I would not obey my teachers or turn my ear to my instructors.”
This sounds so tragic. Coming to the end of our lives and feeling like this is such a terrible way to go out. But we all know how hard it is to see things as they are happening and then make appropriate choices.
Dad suggests his son’s final words will be “and I was soon in serious trouble in the assembly of God’s people.” It didn’t take long (“soon”) to realize he had made a terrible mistake and that it was going to cost him. Yet it would seem he continued in this lifestyle.
But it doesn’t have to be this way! First, we can make better decisions today and head off such disasters later. Second, if we’ve already done a bunch of stupid things, we just need to “man up with” God about it! Face it, deal with it and let it go!