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Proverbs 29:17 meaning

Correcting a son yields, in time, comfort and delight to the parent's soul.

The reward of correcting one's son is promised in Proverbs 29:17: Correct your son, and he will give you comfort, he will also delight your soul (v. 17). The promise rewards the work.

The instruction names parental work: Correct your son. Correction is not optional; it is part of raising a son.

And he will give you comfort, he will also delight your soul. The future result of present correction is comfort in old age, and a soul gladdened by what the son has become. The verse encourages parents wearied by the daily costs of correcting a son. The investment is paid back in real currency: comfort, delight, and continued joy in the relationship across decades. This can be compared to Proverbs 23:24-25, where the joy and gladness brought by a wise son are likewise presented as a reward to his parents.