25 A foolish son brings grief to his father

and bitterness to the mother who bore him.

26 If imposing a fine on the innocent is not good,

surely to flog honest officials is not right.

25 A foolish son is a grief to his father

and bitterness to her who bore him.

26 To impose a fine on a righteous man is not good,

nor to strike the noble for their uprightness.

25 A foolish son is a grief to his father,

And bitterness to her that bare him.

26 Also to punish the just is not good,

Nor to strike princes for equity.

25 Foolish children bring grief to their father

and bitterness to the one who gave them birth.

26 It is wrong to punish the godly for being good

or to flog leaders for being honest.

25 A foolish son is a grief to his father,

And bitterness to her who bore him.

26 Also, to punish the righteous is not good,

Nor to strike princes for their uprightness.

25 Foolish children make their father sad

and cause their mother great sorrow.

26 It is not good to punish the innocent

or to beat leaders for being honest.

25 A foolish son is a grief to his father,

And bitterness to her that bare him.

26 Also to punish the righteous is not good,

Nor to smite the noble for their uprightness.

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

26 To punish a righteous man is not good, nor to strike nobles because of their uprightness.

25 A foolish son is a heartache to his father 

and bitter grief to his mother. 

26 To punish an innocent person is not good. 

To strike down noble people is not right. 

25 A foolish son is grief to his father

and bitterness to the one who bore him.

26 It is certainly not good to fine an innocent person

or to beat a noble for his honesty.

25 Foolish children are a grief to their father

and bitterness to her who bore them.

26 To impose a fine on the innocent is not right,

or to flog the noble for their integrity.

25 A grief to his father is the child of a fool,

and bitterness to her who bore him.

26 Also, imposing a fine on the righteous is not good,

nor to flog nobles for uprightness.

25 A foolish child makes his father sad

and his mother sorry.

26 It isn’t good to punish those who aren’t guilty.

It isn’t good to whip officials just because they are honest.