Mishle 22:3

3 A prudent man foreseeth the ra’ah, and hideth himself, but the naïve trudge on, and are punished.

Mishle 22:3 Meaning and Commentary

Proverbs 22:3

A prudent [man] foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself
A wise man, whose eyes are in his head, who looks about him and before him, and is cautious and careful of his conduct and behaviour; he foresees the evil of sin he is liable to be drawn into by such and such company, snares, and temptations; and therefore he keeps from them, and abstains from all appearance of evil, or what would lead him to it; and he foresees the evil of punishment, or the judgments of God that are coming on for sin; and he betakes himself to the Lord, to those hiding places and chambers of retreat and protection he has provided for his people, till the indignation be overpast; see ( Isaiah 26:20 ) ; but the simple pass on, and are punished:
foolish persons, devoid of the grace of God and the fear of him, go on careless and unconcerned in their sinful course of life, transgressing the law of God; they proceed from evil to evil, from lesser to greater sins; they go on in the broad road to destruction, and are punished with temporal judgments here, and with everlasting destruction hereafter.

Mishle 22:3 In-Context

1 2 A shem tov is rather to be desired than osher rav, and chen (grace) rather than kesef and zahav.

2 The oisher (rich man) and the rahsh (pauper) have this in common: Hashem is the Oseh (Maker) of them all.

3 A prudent man foreseeth the ra’ah, and hideth himself, but the naïve trudge on, and are punished.

4 By anavah (humility) and the Yirat Hashem are osher, and kavod, and chayyim.

5 Thorns and pachim (snares) are in the derech of the crooked; he that is shomer over his nefesh shall be far from them.