The Meaning of Proverbs 22:3 Explained

Proverbs 22:3

KJV: A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished.

YLT: The prudent hath seen the evil, and is hidden, And the simple have passed on, and are punished.

Darby: A prudent man seeth the evil, and hideth himself; but the simple pass on, and are punished.

ASV: A prudent man seeth the evil, and hideth himself; But the simple pass on, and suffer for it.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

A prudent  [man] foreseeth  the evil,  and hideth  {08675;05641:08799} himself: but the simple  pass on,  and are punished. 

What does Proverbs 22:3 Mean?

Context Summary

Proverbs 22:1-16 - "he That Loveth Pureness Of Heart"
Great riches are not always a great blessing. When they are held in trust for God, they afford the opportunity of giving a vast amount of happiness to the benefactor as well as to those benefited. But we recall other riches, which do not consist in what a man has, but in what he is. There are four levels of human experience-to have, to do, to know, and to be-and these in their order are like iron, silver, gold, precious stones.
Some of these riches are enumerated here: a good name and loving favor, Proverbs 22:1; the faith that hides in God, Proverbs 22:3; true humility and godly fear, Proverbs 22:4; the child-heart, Proverbs 22:6; the beautiful eye and open hand, Proverbs 22:9; purity of heart and thought, Proverbs 22:11; alacrity and diligence, Proverbs 22:13. If only we would cultivate the inward graces and gifts of our soul-life, all who feel our influence would be proportionately enriched. [source]

Chapter Summary: Proverbs 22

1  A good name is more desirable than great wealth

What do the individual words in Proverbs 22:3 mean?

A prudent [man] foresees evil - and hides himself but the simple pass on and are punished
עָר֤וּם ׀ רָאָ֣ה רָעָ֣ה [ויסתר] (וְנִסְתָּ֑ר) וּ֝פְתָיִ֗ים עָבְר֥וּ וְֽנֶעֱנָֽשׁוּ

עָר֤וּם ׀  A  prudent  [man] 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: עָרוּם  
Sense: subtle, shrewd, crafty, sly, sensible.
רָאָ֣ה  foresees 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
רָעָ֣ה  evil 
Parse: Adjective, feminine singular
Root: רַע 
Sense: bad, evil.
[ויסתר]  - 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Nifal, Conjunctive imperfect, third person masculine singular
(וְנִסְתָּ֑ר)  and  hides  himself 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Nifal, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: סָתַר  
Sense: to hide, conceal.
וּ֝פְתָיִ֗ים  but  the  simple 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine plural
Root: פֶּתִי 
Sense: simplicity, naivete adj.
עָבְר֥וּ  pass  on 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: עָבַר 
Sense: to pass over or by or through, alienate, bring, carry, do away, take, take away, transgress.
וְֽנֶעֱנָֽשׁוּ  and  are  punished 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Nifal, Conjunctive perfect, third person common plural
Root: עֲנוּשִׁים 
Sense: to fine, amerce, punish, condemn, mulct.