Bible Strands
Proverbs 17:21
A man fathers a fool to his own grief; the father of a fool has no joy.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — The wisdom author addresses general readers, framing the observation within immediate family dynamics and the practical outcomes of moral formation.
The words — כְּ֭סִיל (Ke.sil) describes a person defined by stubborn moral foolishness, while לְתוּגָה (le.Tu.gah) specifies the resulting condition of grief or anguish.
The thread — This pattern appears in Proverbs 10:1 and Proverbs 19:13, which similarly contrast the sorrow produced by a foolish child with the joy of a wise one.
Why it lands — The verse states that raising a fool guarantees parental grief and eliminates joy, demanding that readers treat moral instruction as a decisive factor in household outcomes rather than a passive hope.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
He that begetteth a fool doeth it to his sorrow: and the father of a fool hath no joy.
Cross-references
- Proverbs 10:1 The proverbs of Solomon: A wise son brings joy to his father, but a foolish son grief to his mother.
- Proverbs 19:13 A foolish son is his father’s ruin, and a quarrelsome wife is like a constant dripping.
- Genesis 26:34 When Esau was forty years old, he took as his wives Judith daughter of Beeri the Hittite and Basemath daughter of Elon the Hittite.
- 1 Samuel 2:32 You will see distress in My dwelling place. Despite all that is good in Israel, no one in your house will ever again reach old age.
- Proverbs 15:20 A wise son brings joy to his father, but a foolish man despises his mother.
- Proverbs 17:25 A foolish son brings grief to his father and bitterness to her who bore him.
- Proverbs 23:15 My son, if your heart is wise, my own heart will indeed rejoice.
- 2 Samuel 18:33 The king was shaken and went up to the chamber over the gate and wept. And as he walked, he cried out, “O my son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son!”
- 2 Corinthians 2:3 I wrote as I did so that on my arrival I would not be grieved by those who ought to make me rejoice. I had confidence in all of you, that you would share my joy.
- Philemon 1:19 I, Paul, write this with my own hand. I will repay it—not to mention that you owe me your very self.