Proverbs 17:21 - Revised Standard Version (RSV-CI)

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

More versions

King James Version (Oxford) 1769

²¹ He that begetteth a fool doeth it to his sorrow: And the father of a fool hath no joy.

Amplified Bible - Classic Edition

²¹ He who becomes the parent of a [self-confident] fool does it to his sorrow, and the father of [an empty-headed] fool has no joy [in him].

American Standard Version (1901)

²¹ He that begetteth a fool doeth it to his sorrow; And the father of a fool hath no joy.

Common English Bible

²¹ Having a fool for a son brings grief; there’s no joy for a scoundrel’s father.

Catholic Public Domain Version

²¹ A foolish one is born into his own disgrace. But his father will not rejoice in one who is senseless.

Douay-Rheims version of The Bible - 1752 version

²¹ A fool is born to his own disgrace: and even his father shall not rejoice in a fool.

Proverbs 17:21 Cross References

Genesis 26:34

When Esau was forty years old, he took to wife Judith the daughter of Be-eri the Hittite, and Basemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite;

2 Samuel 18:33

And the king was deeply moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept; and as he went, he said, “O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! Would I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son!”

Proverbs 10:1

The proverbs of Solomon. A wise son makes a glad father, but a foolish son is a sorrow to his mother.

Proverbs 15:20

A wise son makes a glad father, but a foolish man despises his mother.

Proverbs 17:25

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

Proverbs 19:13

A foolish son is ruin to his father, and a wife's quarreling is a continual dripping of rain.

2 Corinthians 2:3

And I wrote as I did, so that when I came I might not suffer pain from those who should have made me rejoice, for I felt sure of all of you, that my joy would be the joy of you all.

3 John 1:4

No greater joy can I have than this, to hear that my children follow the truth.

1 Samuel 8:3

Yet his sons did not walk in his ways, but turned aside after gain; they took bribes and perverted justice.