A prudent man sees danger and takes refuge; but the simple pass on, and suffer for it.
Parallel translations
- 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 pay the penalty.
- NKJV A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself; The simple pass on and are punished.
- NASB A prudent person sees evil and hides himself; But the naive proceed, and pay the penalty.
- 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 avoid it, while the naive walk blindly into harm. It commends discernment that takes wise precautions.
Overview
Nearly identical to Proverbs 22:3, this saying contrasts the foresight of the prudent with the heedlessness of the simple who suffer for their carelessness. Wisdom anticipates consequences and acts to avoid ruin. Ultimately, true refuge from judgment is found in fleeing to Christ, the only sure shelter from coming wrath (Hebrews 6:18).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- Prov 22:3A prudent man sees danger, and hides himself; but the simple pass on, and suffer for it.
- Prov 18:10Yahweh’s name is a strong tower: the righteous run to him, and are safe.
- 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.
- 2 Pet 3:10–14But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will be dissolved with fervent heat, and the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up.
- Exod 9:20–21Those who feared Yahweh’s word among the servants of Pharaoh made their servants and their livestock flee into the houses.
- 2 Pet 3:7But the heavens that now are, and the earth, by the same word have been stored up for fire, being reserved against the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.
- Matt 3:7But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for his baptism, he said to them, “You offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
- 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.
- Ps 57:1–3For the Chief Musician. To the tune of “Do Not Destroy.” A poem by David, when he fled from Saul, in the cave. Be merciful to me, God, be merciful to me, for my soul takes refuge in you. Yes, in the shadow of your wings, I will take refuge, until disaster has passed.
- 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.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
Resources, by level
Commentaries & study tools
Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.
Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.
Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.
Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.
The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).
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 27:12 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.