Proverbs 22:3 (GNV)

Passage

A prudent man seeth the plague, and hideth himselfe: but the foolish goe on still, and are punished.

Nearby Context

Proverbs 22:1 A good name is to be chosen aboue great riches, and louing fauour is aboue siluer and aboue golde.

Proverbs 22:2 The rich and poore meete together: the Lord is the maker of them all.

Proverbs 22:3 A prudent man seeth the plague, and hideth himselfe: but the foolish goe on still, and are punished.

Proverbs 22:4 The rewarde of humilitie, and the feare of God is riches, and glory, and life.

Proverbs 22:5 Thornes and snares are in the way of the frowarde: but he that regardeth his soule, will depart farre from them.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "prudent", "seeth", "plague", "hideth", "himselfe", "foolish", "still", and "punished". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "prudent" and "seeth", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 2's "The rich and poore meete together the..." into verse 4's "The rewarde of humilitie and the feare...", so "prudent" and "seeth" 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 "seeth" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.