A prudent [man] foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished.
Ver. 3. A prudent man foreseeth an evil, &c.] Prevision is the best means of prevention. "A wise man's eyes are in his head," Ecc 2:14 "his heart is also at his right hand." Ecc 10:2 The Chinese say of themselves that all other nations of the world see but with one eye, they only with two. The Italians give out that they only do sapere ante factum, look before they leap, forecast an evil before it befall them. But these are praises proper to them that have learned holy and heavenly wisdom, that by certain sights and signs discern a tempest in the clouds, and seek seasonable shelter under the hollow of God's hand, "under the shadow of his wings." Such prudent persons were Noah, Joseph, Jonadab, Josiah, the Christians at Pella, &c.
But the fool passeth on.] Pusheth on without fear or wit, as being resolved to have his will, whatever it stand him in.
And is punished.] As a just reward of his rashness. Sin ever ends tragically. Flagitium et flagellum, ut acus et filum. Who ever waxed fierce against God and prospered? Job 9:4 "With the froward thou wilt wrestle," saith David. Psa 18:26 "Upon the wicked God shall rain snares," &c. Psa 11:6 And then, ut leo cassibus irretitus dixit, si praescivissem, as the lion, when he was caught in the hunter's toil, said, If I had foreknown this mischief, I would have shunned it. So these after wits, these post masters, these Epimetheuses, shall come in (but all too late) with their fool's ‘Had-I-wist,' which they should have timeously foreseen and prevented.