The Meaning of Proverbs 17:25 Explained

Proverbs 17:25

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

YLT: A provocation to his father is a foolish son, And bitterness to her that bare him.

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

ASV: A foolish son is a grief to his father, And bitterness to her that bare him.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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

What does Proverbs 17:25 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Proverbs 17

1  Contrasts between the Righteous and the Wicked

What do the individual words in Proverbs 17:25 mean?

A grief to his father a son [is] foolish and bitterness to her who bore him
כַּ֣עַס לְ֭אָבִיו בֵּ֣ן כְּסִ֑יל וּ֝מֶ֗מֶר לְיוֹלַדְתּֽוֹ

כַּ֣עַס  A  grief 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: כַּעַס 
Sense: anger, vexation, provocation, grief.
לְ֭אָבִיו  to  his  father 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: אָב  
Sense: father of an individual.
בֵּ֣ן  a  son  [is] 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
כְּסִ֑יל  foolish 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: כְּסִיל  
Sense: fool, stupid fellow, dullard, simpleton, arrogant one.
וּ֝מֶ֗מֶר  and  bitterness 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֶמֶר  
Sense: bitterness.
לְיוֹלַדְתּֽוֹ  to  her  who  bore  him 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Participle, feminine singular construct, third person masculine singular
Root: יָלַד 
Sense: to bear, bring forth, beget, gender, travail.