New Living Translation
Proverbs 17:21
21It is painful to be the parent of a fool; there is no joy for the father of a rebel.
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.
- English Standard Version (ESV)He who sires a fool gets himself sorrow, and the father of a fool has no joy.
- New King James Version (NKJV)He who begets a scoffer does so to his sorrow, And the father of a fool has no joy.
Context of Proverbs 17:21
19Anyone who loves to quarrel loves sin; anyone who trusts in high walls invites disaster. 20The crooked heart will not prosper; the lying tongue tumbles into trouble. It is painful to be the parent of a fool; there is no joy for the father of a rebel. 22A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength. 23The wicked take secret bribes to pervert the course 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 17:25Foolish children bring grief to their father and bitterness to the one who gave them birth.
- Proverbs 10:1The proverbs of Solomon: A wise child brings joy to a father; a foolish child brings grief to a mother.
- Proverbs 15:20Sensible children bring joy to their father; foolish children despise their mother.
- Proverbs 19:13A foolish child is a calamity to a father; a quarrelsome wife is as annoying as constant dripping.
- Genesis 26:34At the age of forty, Esau married two Hittite wives: Judith, the daughter of Beeri, and Basemath, the daughter of Elon.
- 1 Samuel 2:32You will watch with envy as I pour out prosperity on the people of Israel. But no members of your family will ever live out their days.
- 1 Samuel 8:3But they were not like their father, for they were greedy for money. They accepted bribes and perverted justice.
- 2 Samuel 18:33The king was overcome with emotion. He went up to the room over the gateway and burst into tears. And as he went, he cried, “O my son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you! O Absalom, my son, my son.”
- Proverbs 23:15My child, if your heart is wise, my own heart will rejoice!
- 2 Corinthians 2:3That is why I wrote to you as I did, so that when I do come, I won’t be grieved by the very ones who ought to give me the greatest joy. Surely you all know that my joy comes from your being joyful.
- 3 John 1:4I could have no greater joy than to hear that my children are following 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
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Commentaries