Proverbs 17:25
New International Version
A foolish son brings grief to his father and bitterness to the mother who bore him.

New Living Translation
Foolish children bring grief to their father and bitterness to the one who gave them birth.

English Standard Version
A foolish son is a grief to his father and bitterness to her who bore him.

Berean Standard Bible
A foolish son brings grief to his father and bitterness to her who bore him.

King James Bible
A foolish son is a grief to his father, and bitterness to her that bare him.

New King James Version
A foolish son is a grief to his father, And bitterness to her who bore him.

New American Standard Bible
A foolish son is a grief to his father, And bitterness to her who gave birth to him.

NASB 1995
A foolish son is a grief to his father And bitterness to her who bore him.

NASB 1977
A foolish son is a grief to his father, And bitterness to her who bore him.

Legacy Standard Bible
A foolish son is a vexation to his father And bitterness to her who gave birth to him.

Amplified Bible
A foolish son is a grief and anguish to his father And bitterness to her who gave birth to him.

Christian Standard Bible
A foolish son is grief to his father and bitterness to the one who bore him.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
A foolish son is grief to his father and bitterness to the one who bore him.

American Standard Version
A foolish son is a grief to his father, And bitterness to her that bare him.

Contemporary English Version
Foolish children bring sorrow and pain to their parents.

English Revised Version
A foolish son is a grief to his father, and bitterness to her that bare him.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
A foolish son is a heartache to his father and bitter grief to his mother.

Good News Translation
Foolish children bring grief to their fathers and bitter regrets to their mothers.

International Standard Version
A foolish son brings grief to his father and bitterness to his mother.

Majority Standard Bible
A foolish son brings grief to his father and bitterness to her who bore him.

NET Bible
A foolish child is a grief to his father, and bitterness to the mother who bore him.

New Heart English Bible
A foolish son brings grief to his father, and bitterness to her who bore him.

Webster's Bible Translation
A foolish son is a grief to his father, and bitterness to her that bore him.

World English Bible
A foolish son brings grief to his father, and bitterness to her who bore him.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
A foolish son [is] a provocation to his father, "" And bitterness to her bearing him.

Young's Literal Translation
A provocation to his father is a foolish son, And bitterness to her that bare him.

Smith's Literal Translation
A foolish son a grief to his father, and bitterness to her bringing him forth.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
A foolish son is the anger of the father: and the sorrow of the mother that bore him.

Catholic Public Domain Version
A foolish son is the anger of the father and the grief of the mother who conceived him.

New American Bible
A foolish son is vexation to his father, and bitter sorrow to her who bore him.

New Revised Standard Version
Foolish children are a grief to their father and bitterness to her who bore them.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
A foolish son provokes his father, and is bitterness to her who bore him.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
A foolish son angers his father and embitters her that bore him.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
A foolish son is vexation to his father, And bitterness to her that bore him.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
A foolish son is a cause of anger to his father, and grief to her that bore him.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Better a Dry Morsel in Quietness
24Wisdom is the focus of the discerning, but the eyes of a fool wander to the ends of the earth. 25A foolish son brings grief to his father and bitterness to her who bore him. 26It is surely not good to punish the innocent or to flog a noble for his honesty.…

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 15:20
A wise son brings joy to his father, but a foolish man despises his mother.

Proverbs 19:13
A foolish son is his father’s ruin, and a quarrelsome wife is like a constant dripping.

Proverbs 19:26
He who assaults his father or evicts his mother is a son who brings shame and disgrace.

Proverbs 23:24-25
The father of a righteous man will greatly rejoice, and he who fathers a wise son will delight in him. / May your father and mother be glad, and may she who gave you birth rejoice!

Proverbs 28:7
A discerning son keeps the law, but a companion of gluttons disgraces his father.

Proverbs 29:3
A man who loves wisdom brings joy to his father, but a companion of prostitutes squanders his wealth.

Proverbs 30:17
As for the eye that mocks a father and scorns obedience to a mother, may the ravens of the valley pluck it out and young vultures devour it.

Exodus 20:12
Honor your father and mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.

Deuteronomy 21:18-21
If a man has a stubborn and rebellious son who does not obey his father and mother and does not listen to them when disciplined, / his father and mother are to lay hold of him and bring him to the elders of his city, to the gate of his hometown, / and say to the elders, “This son of ours is stubborn and rebellious; he does not obey us. He is a glutton and a drunkard.” ...

1 Samuel 2:25
If a man sins against another man, God can intercede for him; but if a man sins against the LORD, who can intercede for him?” But they would not listen to their father, since the LORD intended to put them to death.

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 Samuel 19:4
But the king covered his face and cried out at the top of his voice, “O my son Absalom! O Absalom, my son, my son!”

Psalm 127:3-5
Children are indeed a heritage from the LORD, and the fruit of the womb is His reward. / Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are children born in one’s youth. / Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them. He will not be put to shame when he confronts the enemies at the gate.

Isaiah 1:2
Listen, O heavens, and give ear, O earth, for the LORD has spoken: “I have raised children and brought them up, but they have rebelled against Me.


Treasury of Scripture

A foolish son is a grief to his father, and bitterness to her that bore him.

Proverbs 10:1
The proverbs of Solomon. A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother.

Proverbs 15:20
A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish man despiseth his mother.

Proverbs 19:13
A foolish son is the calamity of his father: and the contentions of a wife are a continual dropping.

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Bare Birth Bitter Bitterness Bore Foolish Grief Pain Provocation Vexation
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Bare Birth Bitter Bitterness Bore Foolish Grief Pain Provocation Vexation
Proverbs 17
1. Contrasts between the Righteous and the Wicked














A foolish son
The term "foolish" in Hebrew is "כְּסִיל" (kesil), which often denotes someone who is morally deficient or lacking in wisdom. In the context of Proverbs, a foolish son is not merely someone who makes mistakes, but one who consistently rejects wisdom and instruction. This rejection of wisdom is a spiritual and moral failing, reflecting a heart that is not aligned with God's ways. The son’s foolishness is a source of deep sorrow because it signifies a departure from the path of righteousness and a life that is not fulfilling its God-given potential.

brings grief
The Hebrew word for "grief" is "תּוּגָה" (tugah), which conveys a sense of deep sorrow or distress. This grief is not just a momentary sadness but a profound, ongoing heartache. In the cultural context of ancient Israel, family honor and legacy were of utmost importance. A son who acts foolishly disrupts the family’s standing and causes emotional turmoil. The grief is compounded by the understanding that the son’s actions have spiritual implications, affecting not only the family but also their relationship with God.

to his father
The father, in biblical times, was the head of the household and bore the responsibility for the spiritual and moral upbringing of his children. A foolish son reflects on the father’s ability to lead and instruct his family in the ways of the Lord. The father’s grief is not only personal but also communal, as the family’s reputation and standing within the community are at stake. This highlights the importance of parental guidance and the deep connection between a father and his children.

and bitterness
The word "bitterness" in Hebrew is "מָרוֹר" (maror), which suggests a sharp, painful experience. Bitterness here is more than just emotional pain; it is a deep-seated anguish that affects the spirit. This bitterness is a result of unfulfilled hopes and expectations, as parents naturally desire to see their children walk in wisdom and righteousness. The emotional toll is significant, as it impacts the parents’ joy and peace.

to her who bore him
The phrase "her who bore him" emphasizes the mother’s unique connection to her child. In Hebrew culture, the mother’s role in nurturing and caring for her children was vital. The mother’s bitterness is particularly poignant because it reflects the deep bond and investment she has in her child’s life. Her sorrow is a testament to the profound love and hope she holds for her son, making his foolishness all the more painful. This phrase underscores the emotional and spiritual impact a child’s actions have on their parents, highlighting the importance of honoring and respecting one’s parents as commanded in Scripture.

Verse 25. - This verse is more or less a repetition of ver. 21; Proverbs 10:1; Proverbs 15:20; and comp. Proverbs 19:13. A grief (kaas). The Vulgate and Septuagint translate, "anger." A foolish son provokes the wrath of his father, and is bitterness to her that bare him, "Bitterness" (memer) oesurs nowhere else; mar and marar are common enough.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
A foolish
כְּסִ֑יל (kə·sîl)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3684: Stupid fellow, dullard, fool

son
בֵּ֣ן (bên)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1121: A son

brings grief
כַּ֣עַס (ka·‘as)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3708: Vexation, anger

to his father
לְ֭אָבִיו (lə·’ā·ḇîw)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 1: Father

and bitterness
וּ֝מֶ֗מֶר (ū·me·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 4470: Bitterness

to her who bore him.
לְיוֹלַדְתּֽוֹ׃ (lə·yō·w·laḏ·tōw)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Participle - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 3205: To bear young, to beget, medically, to act as midwife, to show lineage


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OT Poetry: Proverbs 17:25 A foolish son brings grief to his (Prov. Pro Pr)
Proverbs 17:24
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