Proverbs 17:21
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17:21Whoever brings a fool71 into the world72 does so73 to his grief,
and the father of a fool has no joy.74
Footnotes
- 71 Here the Hebrew terms כְּסִיל (késil) and נָבָל (naval) are paired. The first one, which occurs about fifty times in the book, refers to a dullard, whether it be in spiritual, intellectual, or moral matters. The second word, rare in the book, primarily focuses on religious folly—it refers to the practical atheist, the one who lives as if there is no God.
- 72 The form simply means “bears” or “gives birth to,” but since it is masculine it could be rendered “fathers” (cf. “he who begets a fool”; “To have a fool for a son”). The form for “fool” is masculine, but the proverb is not limited only to male children (cf. “It is sad to have a foolish child”).
- 73 The phrase “does so” is supplied for the sake of clarification.
- 74 Parents of fools, who had hoped for children who would be a credit to the family, find only bitter disappointment (cf. “nothing but sadness and sorrow”).
The NET Bible First Edition, Copyright 1996-2005 by Biblical Studies Press
In other versions
ESVEnglish Standard Version
He who sires a fool gets himself sorrow,
and the father of a fool has no joy.
Copyright 2001 Crossway Bibles
NIVNew International Version (2011)
To have a fool for a child brings grief;
there is no joy for the parent of a godless fool.
Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 Biblica, Inc.
CSBChristian Standard Bible
A man fathers a fool to his own sorrow;
the father of a fool has no joy.
Copyright 2017 Holman Bible Publishers
NLTNew Living Translation
It is painful to be the parent of a fool;
there is no joy for the father of a rebel.
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers. All rights reserved.
LEBThe Lexham English Bible
He who begets a fool, there is trouble for him;
the father of a fool will not rejoice.
Copyright 2012 Lexham Press
KJV 1900King James Version
He that begetteth a fool doeth it to his sorrow:
And the father of a fool hath no joy.
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