Proverbs 22:3 (DRB)

Passage

The prudent man saw the evil, and hid himself: the simple passed on, and suffered loss.

Nearby Context

Proverbs 22:1 A good name is better than great riches: and good favour is above silver and gold.

Proverbs 22:2 The rich and poor have met one another: the Lord is the maker of them both.

Proverbs 22:3 The prudent man saw the evil, and hid himself: the simple passed on, and suffered loss.

Proverbs 22:4 The fruit of humility is the fear of the Lord, riches and glory and life.

Proverbs 22:5 Arms and swords are in the way of the perverse: but he that keepeth his own soul, departeth far from them.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "prudent", "evil", "himself", "simple", "passed", "suffered", and "loss". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "prudent" and "evil", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 2's "The rich and poor have met one..." into verse 4's "The fruit of humility is the fear...", so "prudent" and "evil" belong inside that flow. In Proverbs context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "prudent" and "evil" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.