English Standard Version
Proverbs 17:21
21He who sires a fool gets himself sorrow, and the father of a fool has no joy.
Proverbs 17:21 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)He that begetteth a fool doeth it to his sorrow: and the father of a fool hath no joy.
- New International Version (NIV)To have a fool for a child brings grief; there is no joy for the parent of a godless fool.
- New King James Version (NKJV)He who begets a scoffer does so to his sorrow, And the father of a fool has no joy.
- New Living Translation (NLT)It is painful to be the parent of a fool; there is no joy for the father of a rebel.
Context of Proverbs 17:21
19Whoever loves transgression loves strife; he who makes his door high seeks destruction. 20A man of crooked heart does not discover good, and one with a dishonest tongue falls into calamity. He who sires a fool gets himself sorrow, and the father of a fool has no joy. 22A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. 23The wicked accepts a bribe in secret to pervert the ways of justice.
Read all of Proverbs 17Proverbs 17:21 word by word
יֹלֵ֣ד כְּ֭סִיל לְת֣וּגָה ל֑וֹ וְלֹֽא־יִ֝שְׂמַ֗ח אֲבִ֣י נָבָֽל׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Proverbs 17:21
- Proverbs 17:25A foolish son is a grief to his father and bitterness to her who bore him.
- Proverbs 10:1The proverbs of Solomon. A wise son makes a glad father, but a foolish son is a sorrow to his mother.
- Proverbs 15:20A wise son makes a glad father, but a foolish man despises his mother.
- Proverbs 19:13A foolish son is ruin to his father, and a wife's quarreling is a continual dripping of rain.
- Genesis 26:34When Esau was forty years old, he took Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite to be his wife, and Basemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite,
- 1 Samuel 2:32Then in distress you will look with envious eye on all the prosperity that shall be bestowed on Israel, and there shall not be an old man in your house forever.
- 1 Samuel 8:3Yet his sons did not walk in his ways but turned aside after gain. They took bribes and perverted justice.
- 2 Samuel 18:33And the king was deeply moved and went up to the chamber over the gate and wept. And as he went, he said, "O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Would I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son!"
- Proverbs 23:15My son, if your heart is wise, my heart too will be glad.
- 2 Corinthians 2:3And I wrote as I did, so that when I came I might not suffer pain from those who should have made me rejoice, for I felt sure of all of you, that my joy would be the joy of you all.
- 3 John 1:4I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.
Commentaries on Proverbs 17:21
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 21Verse 21 This speaks very plainly what many wise and good men feel very strongly, how grievous it is to have a foolish, wicked child.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2121. (Compare Pr 23:24). Different words are rendered by "fool," both denoting stupidity and impiety.Read the comment
Topics related to Proverbs 17:21
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Proverbs 17
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries