Proverbs 27:12
New International Version
The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and pay the penalty.

New Living Translation
A prudent person foresees danger and takes precautions. The simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences.

English Standard Version
The prudent sees danger and hides himself, but the simple go on and suffer for it.

Berean Standard Bible
The prudent see danger and take cover; but the simple keep going and pay the penalty.

King James Bible
A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself; but the simple pass on, and are punished.

New King James Version
A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself; The simple pass on and are punished.

New American Standard Bible
A prudent person sees evil and hides himself; But the naive proceed, and pay the penalty.

NASB 1995
A prudent man sees evil and hides himself, The naive proceed and pay the penalty.

NASB 1977
A prudent man sees evil and hides himself, The naive proceed and pay the penalty.

Legacy Standard Bible
A prudent man sees evil and hides, The simple pass on and are punished.

Amplified Bible
A prudent man sees evil and hides himself and avoids it, But the naive [who are easily misled] continue on and are punished [by suffering the consequences of sin].

Christian Standard Bible
A sensible person sees danger and takes cover; the inexperienced keep going and are punished.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
A sensible person sees danger and takes cover; the inexperienced keep going and are punished.

American Standard Version
A prudent man seeth the evil, and hideth himself; But the simple pass on, and suffer for it.

Contemporary English Version
Be cautious and hide when you see danger--don't be stupid and walk right into trouble.

English Revised Version
A prudent man seeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and suffer for it.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Sensible people foresee trouble and hide. Gullible people go ahead [and] suffer.

Good News Translation
Sensible people will see trouble coming and avoid it, but an unthinking person will walk right into it and regret it later.

International Standard Version
Those who are prudent see danger and take refuge, but the naïve continue on and suffer the consequences.

Majority Standard Bible
The prudent see danger and take cover; but the simple keep going and pay the penalty.

NET Bible
A shrewd person sees danger and hides himself, but the naive keep right on going and suffer for it.

New Heart English Bible
A prudent man sees danger and takes refuge; but the simple pass on, and suffer for it.

Webster's Bible Translation
A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself; but the simple pass on, and are punished.

World English Bible
A prudent man sees danger and takes refuge; but the simple pass on, and suffer for it.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
The prudent has seen the evil, he is hidden, "" The simple have passed on, they are punished.

Young's Literal Translation
The prudent hath seen the evil, he is hidden, The simple have passed on, they are punished.

Smith's Literal Translation
The prudent one saw the evil, he hid himself; the simple passed and were punished.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
The prudent man seeing evil hideth himself: little ones passing on have suffered losses.

Catholic Public Domain Version
The discerning man, seeing evil, hides himself. The little ones, continuing on, sustain losses.

New American Bible
The astute see an evil and hide; the naive continue on and pay the penalty.

New Revised Standard Version
The clever see danger and hide; but the simple go on, and suffer for it.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
A prudent man foresees the evil and hides himself; but the fools pass on and suffer loss.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
A cunning man sees evil and is hidden, but fools have passed by it and have suffered loss.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
A prudent man seeth the evil, and hideth himself; But the thoughtless pass on, and are punished.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
A wise man, when evils are approaching, hides himself; but fools pass on, and will be punished.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Do not Boast about Tomorrow
11Be wise, my son, and bring joy to my heart, so that I can answer him who taunts me. 12The prudent see danger and take cover; but the simple keep going and pay the penalty. 13Take the garment of him who posts security for a stranger; get collateral if it is for a foreigner.…

Cross References
Proverbs 22:3
The prudent see danger and take cover, but the simple keep going and suffer the consequences.

Matthew 7:24-27
Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. / The rain fell, the torrents raged, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because its foundation was on the rock. / But everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. ...

Luke 14:28-32
Which of you, wishing to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost to see if he has the resources to complete it? / Otherwise, if he lays the foundation and is unable to finish the work, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, / saying, ‘This man could not finish what he started to build.’ ...

James 1:22-25
Be doers of the word, and not hearers only. Otherwise, you are deceiving yourselves. / For anyone who hears the word but does not carry it out is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror, / and after observing himself goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. ...

Matthew 25:1-13
“At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. / Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. / The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take along any extra oil. ...

1 Thessalonians 5:6-8
So then, let us not sleep as the others do, but let us remain awake and sober. / For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. / But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and the helmet of our hope of salvation.

Hebrews 11:7
By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in godly fear built an ark to save his family. By faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.

Ezekiel 33:4-5
Then if anyone hears the sound of the horn but fails to heed the warning, and the sword comes and takes him away, his blood will be on his own head. / Since he heard the sound of the horn but failed to heed the warning, his blood will be on his own head. If he had heeded the warning, he would have saved his life.

1 Peter 5:8
Be sober-minded and alert. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

Matthew 24:42-44
Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day on which your Lord will come. / But understand this: If the homeowner had known in which watch of the night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. / For this reason, you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour you do not expect.

Luke 12:35-40
Be dressed for service and keep your lamps burning. / Then you will be like servants waiting for their master to return from the wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks, they can open the door for him at once. / Blessed are those servants whom the master finds on watch when he returns. Truly I tell you, he will dress himself to serve and will have them recline at the table, and he himself will come and wait on them. ...

Genesis 6:13-22
Then God said to Noah, “The end of all living creatures has come before Me, because through them the earth is full of violence. Now behold, I will destroy both them and the earth. / Make for yourself an ark of gopher wood; make rooms in the ark and coat it with pitch inside and out. / And this is how you are to build it: The ark is to be 300 cubits long, 50 cubits wide, and 30 cubits high. ...

2 Peter 3:10-14
But the Day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar, the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and its works will be laid bare. / Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to conduct yourselves in holiness and godliness / as you anticipate and hasten the coming of the day of God, when the heavens will be destroyed by fire and the elements will melt in the heat. ...

Isaiah 26:20-21
Go, my people, enter your rooms and shut your doors behind you. Hide yourselves a little while until the wrath has passed. / For behold, the LORD is coming out of His dwelling to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity. The earth will reveal her bloodshed and will no longer conceal her slain.

Romans 13:11-14
And do this, understanding the occasion. The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. / The night is nearly over; the day has drawn near. So let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. / Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. ...


Treasury of Scripture

A prudent man foresees the evil, and hides himself; but the simple pass on, and are punished.

Proverbs 18:10
The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.

Proverbs 22:3
A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished.

Exodus 9:20,21
He that feared the word of the LORD among the servants of Pharaoh made his servants and his cattle flee into the houses: …

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Proverbs 27
1. observations of self love
5. of true love
11. of care to avoid offenses
23. and of the household care














The prudent
The Hebrew word for "prudent" is "עָרוּם" (arum), which conveys a sense of shrewdness, wisdom, and foresight. In the biblical context, prudence is not merely about being cautious but involves a deep understanding and discernment of situations. The prudent person is one who applies wisdom to foresee potential dangers and acts accordingly. This aligns with the broader biblical teaching that wisdom is a gift from God, and those who seek it are blessed (James 1:5).

see danger
The phrase "see danger" implies an awareness and perception that goes beyond the physical. The Hebrew root "רָאָה" (ra'ah) means to see or perceive. This suggests that the prudent are not only observant but also spiritually attuned to recognize threats that may not be immediately obvious. In a historical context, this could refer to the ability to discern political, social, or moral dangers that could lead to personal or communal harm.

and take cover
The action of taking cover, from the Hebrew "סָתַר" (satar), means to hide or conceal oneself. This is a proactive response to perceived danger, indicating that wisdom involves not just recognition but also action. In the biblical narrative, taking cover can be seen as a metaphor for seeking refuge in God, who is often described as a fortress and shield (Psalm 18:2). It underscores the importance of seeking divine protection and guidance in times of trouble.

but the simple
The term "simple" comes from the Hebrew "פֶּתִי" (pethi), which refers to someone who is naive or lacking in judgment. The simple are those who do not apply wisdom or discernment in their lives. This is not necessarily a condemnation of intelligence but rather a critique of a lack of spiritual and moral insight. The simple are often depicted in Proverbs as those who are easily led astray and fail to heed wise counsel.

keep going
The phrase "keep going" suggests a continuation without pause or reflection. The Hebrew "עָבַר" (avar) means to pass over or go through. This indicates a lack of consideration for the potential consequences of one's actions. In the biblical context, this can be seen as a failure to heed warnings or to learn from past mistakes, leading to a path of folly.

and suffer the consequences
The consequences, from the Hebrew "עָנַשׁ" (anash), imply a penalty or punishment. This phrase highlights the inevitable result of ignoring wisdom and prudence. In the biblical worldview, actions have consequences, and those who fail to act wisely will face the repercussions. This serves as a warning and a call to seek wisdom and understanding, aligning with the broader biblical theme that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 9:10).

(12) A prudent man foreseeth the evil.--See above on Proverbs 22:3.

Verse 12. - A repetition of Proverbs 22:3. The sentence is asyndeton.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
The prudent
עָר֤וּם (‘ā·rūm)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 6175: Crafty, shrewd, sensible

see
רָאָ֣ה (rā·’āh)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7200: To see

danger
רָעָ֣ה (rā·‘āh)
Adjective - feminine singular
Strong's 7451: Bad, evil

and take cover;
נִסְתָּ֑ר (nis·tār)
Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5641: To hide, conceal

[but] the simple
פְּ֝תָאיִ֗ם (pə·ṯā·yim)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 6612: Simple, perhaps open-minded

keep going
עָבְר֥וּ (‘ā·ḇə·rū)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 5674: To pass over, through, or by, pass on

[and] pay the penalty.
נֶעֱנָֽשׁוּ׃ (ne·‘ĕ·nā·šū)
Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person common plural
Strong's 6064: To urge, to inflict a, penalty, to fine


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OT Poetry: Proverbs 27:12 A prudent man sees danger and takes (Prov. Pro Pr)
Proverbs 27:11
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