Bede, on Prov 22:3

“The prudent man saw the evil, and hid himself: the simple passed on, and suffered loss.”

“The prudent sees danger and hides himself, etc. Many of the leaders believed in the Lord, but because of the Pharisees, they did not confess, so as not to be expelled from the synagogue: for they were prudent, seeing the danger of impending persecution, and they hid the faith of piety which they had briefly conceived. However, the innocent apostles continued on the straight path of profession which they had begun and were afflicted by scourging, chains, prison, and even sentenced to death. The example of both groups is followed even now by many, both in the struggle of faith and in common acts. Ancient translators rendered this verse more clearly but in a different sense: The wise seeing the wicked punished, learns much discipline; fools, however, passing by, are afflicted by loss.”

Imported from an open dataset — not yet checked against the printed edition.