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Read the Bible

Revised Standard Version

Proverbs 17:21

A stupid son is a grief to a father; and the father of a fool has no joy.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Children;   Thompson Chain Reference - Home;   Parental;   Sorrow;   The Topic Concordance - Parents;   Sorrow;  

Dictionaries:

- Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Pardon;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Fool, Foolishness, and Folly;   Proverbs, Book of;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
A man fathers a fool to his own sorrow;the father of a fool has no joy.
Hebrew Names Version
He who becomes the father of a fool grieves. The father of a fool has no joy.
King James Version
He that begetteth a fool doeth it to his sorrow: and the father of a fool hath no joy.
English Standard Version
He who sires a fool gets himself sorrow, and the father of a fool has no joy.
New American Standard Bible
He who fathers a fool does so to his sorrow, And the father of a fool has no joy.
New Century Version
It is sad to have a foolish child; there is no joy in being the parent of a fool.
Amplified Bible
He who becomes the parent of a fool [who is spiritually blind] does so to his sorrow, And the father of a fool [who is spiritually blind] has no joy.
World English Bible
He who becomes the father of a fool grieves. The father of a fool has no joy.
Geneva Bible (1587)
He that begetteth a foole, getteth himselfe sorow, and the father of a foole can haue no ioy.
Legacy Standard Bible
He who begets a fool does so to his grief,And the father of a wicked fool is not glad.
Berean Standard Bible
A man fathers a fool to his own grief; the father of a fool has no joy.
Contemporary English Version
It's never pleasant to be the parent of a fool and have nothing but pain.
Complete Jewish Bible
He who fathers a fool does so to his sorrow, and the father of a boor has no joy.
Darby Translation
He that begetteth a fool [doeth it] to his sorrow, and the father of a vile [man] hath no joy.
Easy-to-Read Version
A man who has a fool for a son will be disappointed. A fool brings no joy to his father.
George Lamsa Translation
He who begets a fool does it to his own shame; his father will have no joy in him.
Good News Translation
There is nothing but sadness and sorrow for parents whose children do foolish things.
Lexham English Bible
He who begets a fool, there is trouble for him; the father of a fool will not rejoice.
Literal Translation
He who fathers a fool has sorrow for it; yea, the father of a fool has no joy.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
An vnwyse body bryngeth himselfe in to sorowe, and ye father of a foole can haue no ioye.
American Standard Version
He that begetteth a fool doeth it to his sorrow; And the father of a fool hath no joy.
Bible in Basic English
He who has an unwise son gets sorrow for himself, and the father of a foolish son has no joy.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
He that begetteth a fool doeth it to his sorrow; and the father of a churl hath no joy.
King James Version (1611)
He that begetteth a foole, doth it to his sorrow: and the father of a foole hath no ioy.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
He that begetteth a foole, begetteth his sorowe: and the father of a foole can haue no ioy.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
and the heart of a fool is grief to its possessor. A father rejoices not over an uninstructed son; but a wise son gladdens his mother.
English Revised Version
He that begetteth a fool doeth it to his sorrow: and the father of a fool hath no joy.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
A fool is borun in his schenschipe; but nether the fadir schal be glad in a fool.
Update Bible Version
He that begets a fool [does it] to his sorrow; And the father of a fool has no joy.
Webster's Bible Translation
He that begetteth a fool [doeth it] to his sorrow: and the father of a fool hath no joy.
New English Translation
Whoever brings a fool into the world does so to his grief, and the father of a fool has no joy.
New King James Version
He who begets a scoffer does so to his sorrow, And the father of a fool has no joy.
New Living Translation
It is painful to be the parent of a fool; there is no joy for the father of a rebel.
New Life Bible
A foolish son is a sorrow to his father, and the father of a fool has no joy.
New Revised Standard
The one who begets a fool gets trouble; the parent of a fool has no joy.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
He that begetteth a dullard, it is to his own grief, neither can the father of the base, rejoice.
Douay-Rheims Bible
A fool is born to his own disgrace: and even his father shall not rejoice in a fool.
Young's Literal Translation
Whoso is begetting a fool hath affliction for it, Yea, the father of a fool rejoiceth not.
THE MESSAGE
Having a fool for a child is misery; it's no fun being the parent of a dolt.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
He who sires a fool does so to his sorrow, And the father of a fool has no joy.

Contextual Overview

21 A stupid son is a grief to a father; and the father of a fool has no joy.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

that: Proverbs 17:25, Proverbs 10:1, Proverbs 15:20, Proverbs 19:13, Genesis 26:34, 1 Samuel 2:32-35, 1 Samuel 8:3, 2 Samuel 18:33

hath: Proverbs 23:15, Proverbs 23:16, 2 Corinthians 2:3, Philemon 1:19, Philemon 1:20, 3 John 1:4

Reciprocal: Proverbs 29:15 - a child Ezekiel 18:14 - if he

Cross-References

Genesis 17:2
And I will make my covenant between me and you, and will multiply you exceedingly."
Genesis 17:3
Then Abram fell on his face; and God said to him,
Genesis 17:5
No longer shall your name be Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you the father of a multitude of nations.
Genesis 17:6
I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come forth from you.
Genesis 17:10
This is my covenant, which you shall keep, between me and you and your descendants after you: Every male among you shall be circumcised.
Genesis 17:12
He that is eight days old among you shall be circumcised; every male throughout your generations, whether born in your house, or bought with your money from any foreigner who is not of your offspring,
Genesis 18:10
The LORD said, "I will surely return to you in the spring, and Sarah your wife shall have a son." And Sarah was listening at the tent door behind him.
Genesis 46:1
So Israel took his journey with all that he had, and came to Beer-sheba, and offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac.
Genesis 48:15
And he blessed Joseph, and said, "The God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, the God who has led me all my life long to this day,
Exodus 2:24
And God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

He that begetteth a fool [doth it] to his sorrow,.... As it proves in the issue; though it was joy to him when a man child was born, and took delight in him while in infancy and childhood, and promised himself much happiness in him when at years of discretion; but, instead of that, he departs from his education principles, despises all parental counsels and advice, and goes into all the extravagance of sin and folly; which is an heartbreaking to his godly and religious parents; for this is to be understood; not of an idiot, but of a wicked son, taking bad courses;

and the father of a fool hath no joy; in his son, but sorrow, and has scarce any joy or pleasure in anything else in all his enjoyments; the trouble he is filled with on his account embitters all he has, that he can take no satisfaction, or have any comfort of life; the concern for his son is uppermost in his thoughts, and hinders him from taking that pleasure which otherwise he might enjoy.


 
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