A foolish child becomes a deep grief and bitterness to the parents who love him.
Again Solomon returns to parental grief in Proverbs 17:25: A foolish son is a grief to his father and bitterness to her who bore him (v. 25). Wisdom and folly have emotional and relational consequences, not just moral ones.
A foolish son brings grief and bitterness because his path inflicts pain on those who love him most. The language is personal and tender. Parents do not merely observe their child’s folly from a distance; they feel its effects deeply.
This verse reinforces the communal nature of wisdom. Our choices do not stop with ourselves. Righteousness becomes joy to others; folly becomes bitterness to them. The proverb calls the reader to see that choosing wisdom is also an act of love toward those closest to us.
Set to dark mode
Proverbs 17:25 meaning
Again Solomon returns to parental grief in Proverbs 17:25: A foolish son is a grief to his father and bitterness to her who bore him (v. 25). Wisdom and folly have emotional and relational consequences, not just moral ones.
A foolish son brings grief and bitterness because his path inflicts pain on those who love him most. The language is personal and tender. Parents do not merely observe their child’s folly from a distance; they feel its effects deeply.
This verse reinforces the communal nature of wisdom. Our choices do not stop with ourselves. Righteousness becomes joy to others; folly becomes bitterness to them. The proverb calls the reader to see that choosing wisdom is also an act of love toward those closest to us.