Translation commentary on Proverbs 22:3

The two lines of this verse are parallel and make a contrast between the person who is prudent or sensible and the simple, unwary person. This saying occurs again at 27.12 with almost identical wording.

“A prudent man sees danger and hides himself”: For “prudent” see 12.23. The meaning here is “an intelligent [or, sensible] person.” Revised English Bible “a shrewd person” and Good News Translation “sensible people” are good models; in a number of languages people talk about “a person who has good thinking.” In one African language the idiom is “a person with ripe eyes.” “Sees” is a literal rendering of the Hebrew verb; the point is that the sensible person thinks or looks ahead and so knows when there is “danger” or “trouble coming” (Good News Translation). “Hides himself” means that the person takes action to hide or “take shelter” (New Jerusalem Bible) from danger, or to escape or “avoid it” (Good News Translation).

“But the simple go on, and suffer for it”: “The simple” is a term that occurs frequently in Proverbs, referring to a person who lacks good sense. Here it is obviously a person who does not think where he or she is going, “an unthinking person” (Good News Translation). “Go on” is the term that matches “sees danger” in the first line and is opposite in meaning to it. It means that the person “keep[s] going” (New International Version) without seeing the danger, and “walks straight into it” (Revised English Bible). The verb “suffer for it” is a passive form in Hebrew, which means in a narrow sense “be fined” but in a more general sense “be punished.” Revised English Bible and New Jerusalem Bible both have “pay[s] the penalty.”

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Proverbs. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2000. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .

complete verse (Proverbs 22:3)

Following are a number of back-translations as well as a sample translation for translators of Proverbs 22:3:

  • Kupsabiny: “A wise person keeps away from where there is trouble,
    but the foolish goes head into it and will suffer.” (Source: Kupsabiny Back Translation)
  • Newari: “The wise person recognizes early on
    that trouble is coming and [he] is spared,
    But people who do not realize anything
    continue going on the same path
    and get into trouble.” (Source: Newari Back Translation)
  • Hiligaynon: “A wise man avoids/stays-away if he meets disaster, but a man who has no wisdom does- not -avoid/stay-away, therefore he suffers.” (Source: Hiligaynon Back Translation)
  • Kankanaey: “The circumspect (person), he can-see a problem that will-arrive and avoid-it, but the one who knows nothing is reckless/impetuous, so he experiences hardship.” (Source: Kankanaey Back Translation)
  • English: “Those who have good sense realize that there is something dangerous ahead, and they avoid it;
    those who do not have good sense just keep going and later they will suffer because of doing that.” (Source: Translation for Translators)

SIL Translator’s Notes on Proverbs 22:3

22:3

This proverb contrasts a shrewd person with people who are naive or inexperienced. These two kinds of people respond to danger or trouble in two different ways. A shrewd person recognizes danger and avoids it. Those who are naive fail to avoid danger and suffer the consequences.

3a
The prudent see danger and take cover,

3b but the simple keep going and suffer the consequences.

22:3a

The prudent: The phrase The prudent refers to a person who is shrewd, clever, or resourceful.

see danger: This phrase probably refers to foresight. It indicates that the prudent person can recognize potential danger or trouble. It probably does not mean that he can literally see danger approaching with his eyes.

take cover: In Hebrew, this phrase is literally “hides himself,” as in the English Standard Version. It probably indicates here that the prudent person takes the necessary precautions to avoid trouble or danger.

Some other ways to translate this clause are:

A prudent person foresees danger and takes precautions (New Living Translation (2004))
-or-
Sensible people will see trouble coming and avoid it (Good News Translation)

22:3b

but the simple keep going: In contrast to people who are shrewd, those who are naïve are unwary. They continue in their course of action without thinking of the consequences. The contrast with 11:3a implies that naive people do not foresee the trouble that lies ahead. Therefore, they do not avoid it.

Some other ways to translate this clause are:

but an unthinking person will walk right into it (Good News Translation)
-or-
while simpletons continue on (New American Bible)

and suffer the consequences: This phrase gives the result of the failure of “simple” people to avoid trouble. The Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as suffer the consequences is literally “they are punished.”

In some contexts the Hebrew word that the Berean Standard Bible translates as suffer the consequences refers specifically to paying a fine. Here it probably has a more general meaning. It may refer to being punished (legally). It may also refer to suffering the natural consequences of getting into trouble.

Some other ways to translate this phrase are:

and are punished for it (New American Standard Bible)
-or-
and suffers the consequences (New Living Translation (2004))

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