A prudent person sees evil and hides himself, But the naive proceed, and pay the penalty.
Parallel translations
- WEB A prudent man sees danger, and hides himself; but the simple pass on, and suffer for it.
- KJV A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished.
- BSB The prudent see danger and take cover, but the simple keep going and suffer the consequences.
- NKJV A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself, But the simple pass on and are punished.
- NLT A prudent person foresees danger and takes precautions. The simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The prudent foresee danger and take cover, while the naive walk on and suffer. It matters because wisdom anticipates and avoids harm.
Overview
Repeated in Proverbs 27:12, this proverb commends foresight — seeing trouble coming and acting to avoid it, unlike the simple who blunder into it. Prudence and discernment protect from needless harm. Wisdom heeds warnings, supremely the warning of judgment and the refuge offered in Christ.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 12
- Prov 27:12A prudent man sees danger and takes refuge; but the simple pass on, and suffer for it.
- Prov 14:16A wise man fears and shuns evil, but the fool is hot headed and reckless.
- Prov 29:1He who is often rebuked and stiffens his neck will be destroyed suddenly, with no remedy.
- 1 Th 5:2–6For you yourselves know well that the day of the Lord comes like a thief in the night.
- Heb 11:7By faith, Noah, being warned about things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared a ship for the saving of his house, through which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.
- Prov 7:7I saw among the simple ones. I discerned among the youths a young man void of understanding,
- Prov 7:22–23He followed her immediately, as an ox goes to the slaughter, as a fool stepping into a noose.
- Isa 26:20–21Come, my people, enter into your rooms, and shut your doors behind you. Hide yourself for a little moment, until the indignation is past.
- Exod 9:20–21Those who feared Yahweh’s word among the servants of Pharaoh made their servants and their livestock flee into the houses.
- Heb 6:18that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we may have a strong encouragement, who have fled for refuge to take hold of the hope set before us.
- Prov 9:16–18“Whoever is simple, let him turn in here.” as for him who is void of understanding, she says to him,
- Matt 24:15–18“When, therefore, you see the abomination of desolation, which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand),
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.
Christ at the center
Wisdom personified, with God before creation and the agent of all things, anticipates Christ 'in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom' — the wisdom of God made flesh.
How Proverbs 22:3 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.