A prudent man sees danger, and hides himself; but the simple pass on, and suffer for it.
Pro 22:3 The group of proverbs beginning here terminates at Pro 22:7, where, like the preceding, it closes with a proverb of the rich and the poor. 3 The prudent seeth the evil, and hideth himself; But the simple go forward, and suffer injury. This proverb repeats itself with insignificant variations, Pro 27:12. The Kerı̂ ונסתּר makes it more conformable to the words there used.
See here, 1. The benefit of wisdom and consideration: A prudent man, by the help of his prudence, will foresee an evil, before it comes, and hide himself; he will be aware when he is entering into a temptation and will put on his armour and stand on his guard.
are punished--that is, for their temerity; for the evil is not necessarily punitive, as the prudent might otherwise be its objects.