prōō´dens, prōō´dent: In the Old Testament “prudence” is the translation of ערמה, ‛ormāh ([Pro 8:12]); also in the King James Version of שׂכל, sekhel ([2Ch 2:12], the Revised Version (British and American) “discretion”); and “prudent” is the translation of ערוּם, ‛ārūm, “subtle” ([Pro 12:16], [Pro 12:23]; [Pro 13:16], etc.; compare [Gen 3:1]; [Job 5:12]), and of בּין, bı̄n ([1Sa 16:18], the Revised Version margin “skillful”; [Pro 16:21]; [Pro 18:15]; [Isa 5:21]; [Isa 10:13], the American Standard Revised Version “understanding,” etc.), with other words. In the New Testament “prudence” occurs once as the translation of φρόνησις, phrónēsis ([Eph 1:8]); “prudent” is in the King James Version the translation of συνετός, sunetós, changed in the Revised Version (British and American) to “understanding” ([Mat 11:25]; [Act 13:7]); in [1Co 1:19], the American Standard Revised Version has “the discerning,” the English Revised Version retains “prudent.” In its etymological sense of seeing beforehand (contraction of “providence”), “prudence” does not occur in the New Testament. As forethought, foresight, prudence was reckoned one of the cardinal virtues by the ancient ethical writers. See the remarks of Coleridge on its lower and higher character in his Aids to Reflection, Aphor. 29.
