| 12. Linguistic Exegesis The proverb opens with the adjective arum {עָר֤וּם | ʿārûm} “prudent” functioning as the subject of the Qal perfect verb ra’ah {רָאָ֣ה | rā’â} “perceives,” which takes the noun ra‘ah {רָעָ֣ה | rā’â} “harm” as its object. The Niphal perfect nistar {נִסְתָּ֑ר | ništār} “takes refuge” (literally “hides himself”) forms a concise clause without a conjunction, heightening urgency. In the second hemistich, antithetic parallelism contrasts peta’yim {פְּ֝תָאיִ֗ם | pəṭā’îym} “the simple ones” with the prudent, as the Qal perfect avru {עָבְר֥וּ | ‘āḇrû} “go on” is followed by the Niphal perfect ne’enashu {נֶעֱנָֽשׁוּ | ne‘ənāšû} “are punished,” emphasizing the inevitable consequence of ignoring warning. |