Proverbs 17:21

American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

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

Grammatical Analysis

Original Text

יֹלֵד כְּסִיל לְתוּגָה לוֹ וְלֹא־יִשְׂמַח אֲבִי נָבָל

Transliteration

yōlēd kəsîl to tûgāh to him wə-lō-yiśmach 'ăbî nābāl

Grammar Details

*yōlēd*: participle, Qal - begetting/fathering
*kəsîl*: noun, masculine singular - fool
*lə-tûgāh*: preposition + noun, feminine singular - for sorrow
*lô*: preposition + 3rd person masculine singular suffix - to him
*wə-lō*: conjunction + negative particle - and not
*yiśmach*: verb, Qal imperfect, 3rd person masculine singular - he will rejoice
*'ăbî*: noun, masculine singular construct - father of
*nābāl*: noun, masculine singular - fool

Word Meanings

*yōlēd*: begetting/fathering/giving birth to
*kəsîl*: fool/stupid person
*tûgāh*: grief/sorrow/heartache
*yiśmach*: rejoices/will rejoice
*'ăbî*: father of
*nābāl*: fool/senseless person

ℹ️

About this Translation

American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

Formal EquivalenceSource: American Standard VersionBest for: Word studies and original-language research

🎯 Translation Approach

A highly literal, word-for-word translation (ASV, 1901) augmented with Strong's numbering to connect English words to underlying Hebrew and Greek terms for study.

Word-for-word

5/5

Readability

2/5

💎 Distinctive Features

Integrated Strong's numbering: Links English terms to underlying Hebrew and Greek words for deeper lexical study.
Formal equivalence: Prioritizes close alignment with source-language forms and structures.
Divine name rendering: Frequently renders the Tetragrammaton as Jehovah in the Old Testament, following ASV tradition.
Study-focused formatting: Optimized for reference and research rather than casual reading.

✅ Strengths

High fidelity to original languages
Includes Strong's numbers for precise word study
Consistent lexical choices aid exegesis
Stable, longstanding scholarly text

⚠️ Considerations

Archaic language reduces readability
Older textual basis compared to some modern translations
Strong's numbers are a concordance index, not full lexical definitions

👥 Who is this for?

Ideal for

Pastors and teachers
Seminary students
Serious Bible students
Readers conducting word studies
Those referencing Hebrew/Greek tools

Consider alternatives for

Casual readers
Children and early teens
ESL learners seeking simple English
Readers preferring contemporary language

🔄 Compare with

ESVNIVCSBNLTNASBNET

Additional Resources

Referenced Verses

Prov 10:1 : 1 The proverbs of Solomon. A wise son maketh a glad father; But a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother.
Prov 19:13 : 13 A foolish son is the calamity of his father; And the contentions of a wife are a continual dropping.
Prov 17:25 : 25 A foolish son is a grief to his father, And bitterness to her that bare him.
Prov 15:20 : 20 A wise son maketh a glad father; But a foolish man despiseth his mother.
Prov 23:15-16 : 15 My son, if thy heart be wise, My heart will be glad, even mine: 16 Yea, my heart will rejoice, When thy lips speak right things.
Gen 26:34 : 34 And when Esau was forty years old he took to wife Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Basemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite:
1 Sam 2:32-35 : 32 And thou shalt behold the affliction of [my] habitation, in all the wealth which [God] shall give Israel; and there shall not be an old man in thy house for ever. 33 And the man of thine, [whom] I shall not cut off from mine altar, [shall be] to consume thine eyes, and to grieve thy heart; and all the increase of thy house shall die in the flower of their age. 34 And this shall be the sign unto thee, that shall come upon thy two sons, on Hophni and Phinehas: in one day they shall die both of them. 35 And I will raise me up a faithful priest, that shall do according to that which is in my heart and in my mind: and I will build him a sure house; and he shall walk before mine anointed for ever.
1 Sam 8:3 : 3 And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted justice.
2 Sam 18:33 : 33 And the king was much moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept: and as he went, thus he said, O my son Absalom, my son, my son Absalom! would I had died for thee, O Absalom, my son, my son!
2 Cor 2:3 : 3 And I wrote this very thing, {G5213} lest, when I came, I should have sorrow from them of whom I ought to rejoice; having confidence in you all, that my joy is [the joy] of you all.
Phlm 1:19-20 : 19 I Paul write it with mine own hand, I will repay it: None that I say not unto thee that thou owest to me even thine own self besides. 20 Yea, brother, let me have joy of thee in the Lord: refresh my heart in Christ.
3 John 1:4 : 4 Greater joy have I none than this, to hear of my children walking in the truth.

Similar Verses (AI)

These verses are found using AI-powered semantic similarity based on meaning and context. Results may occasionally include unexpected connections.

Prov 17:24-25
2 verses
87%
24Wisdom is before the face of him that hath understanding; But the eyes of a fool are in the ends of the earth.
25A foolish son is a grief to his father, And bitterness to her that bare him.
Prov 15:20-21
2 verses
81%
20A wise son maketh a glad father; But a foolish man despiseth his mother.
21Folly is joy to him that is void of wisdom; But a man of understanding maketh straight his going.
Prov 23:24
80%
24The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice; And he that begetteth a wise child will have joy of him.
Prov 10:1
78%
1The proverbs of Solomon. A wise son maketh a glad father; But a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother.
Prov 11:29
78%
29He that troubleth his own house shall inherit the wind; And the foolish shall be servant to the wise of heart.
Prov 17:20
78%
20He that hath a wayward heart findeth no good; And he that hath a perverse tongue falleth into mischief.
Prov 15:5
78%
5A fool despiseth his father's correction; But he that regardeth reproof getteth prudence.
Prov 19:13
77%
13A foolish son is the calamity of his father; And the contentions of a wife are a continual dropping.
Prov 22:15
77%
15Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; [But] the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.
Prov 19:3
75%
3The foolishness of man subverteth his way; And his heart fretteth against Jehovah.
Prov 17:16
75%
16Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a fool to buy wisdom, Seeing he hath no understanding?
Prov 19:26-27
2 verses
75%
26He that doeth violence to his father, and chaseth away his mother, Is a son that causeth shame and bringeth reproach.
27Cease, my son, to hear instruction [Only] to err from the words of knowledge.
Prov 14:17
75%
17He that is soon angry will deal foolishly; And a man of wicked devices is hated.
Prov 18:2
75%
2A fool hath no delight in understanding, But only that his heart may reveal itself.
Prov 17:12
74%
12Let a bear robbed of her whelps meet a man, Rather than a fool in his folly.
Prov 29:20
74%
20Seest thou a man that is hasty in his words? There is more hope of a fool than of him.
Prov 26:4-6
3 verses
73%
4Answer not a fool according to his folly, Lest thou also be like unto him.
5Answer a fool according to his folly, Lest he be wise in his own conceit.
6He that sendeth a message by the hand of a fool Cutteth off [his own] feet, [and] drinketh in damage.
Prov 10:23
73%
23It is as sport to a fool to do wickedness; And [so is] wisdom to a man of understanding.
Prov 17:5-6
2 verses
73%
5Whoso mocketh the poor reproacheth his Maker; [And] he that is glad at calamity shall not be unpunished.
6Children's children are the crown of old men; And the glory of children are their fathers.
Prov 26:10-11
2 verses
73%
10[As] an archer that woundeth all, So is he that hireth a fool and he that hireth them that pass by.
11As a dog that returneth to his vomit, [So is] a fool that repeateth his folly.
Deut 21:18
73%
18If a man have a stubborn and rebellious son, that will not obey the voice of his father, or the voice of his mother, and, though they chasten him, will not hearken unto them;
Prov 29:17
73%
17Correct thy son, and he will give thee rest; Yea, he will give delight unto thy soul.
Prov 28:7
73%
7Whoso keepeth the law is a wise son; But he that is a companion of gluttons shameth his father.
Prov 19:10
73%
10Delicate living is not seemly for a fool; Much less for a servant to have rule over princes.
Eccl 4:13
73%
13Better is a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king, who knoweth not how to receive admonition any more.
Prov 18:6-7
2 verses
72%
6A fool's lips enter into contention, And his mouth calleth for stripes.
7A fool's mouth is his destruction, And his lips are the snare of his soul.
Prov 13:16
72%
16Every prudent man worketh with knowledge; But a fool flaunteth [his] folly.
Prov 21:20
72%
20There is precious treasure and oil in the dwelling of the wise; But a foolish man swalloweth it up.
Prov 17:2
72%
2A servant that dealeth wisely shall have rule over a son that causeth shame, And shall have part in the inheritance among the brethren.
Prov 27:11
72%
11My son, be wise, and make my heart glad, That I may answer him that reproacheth me.
Eccl 10:13
72%
13The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness; and the end of his talk is mischievous madness.
Prov 12:15
72%
15The way of a fool is right in his own eyes; But he that is wise hearkeneth unto counsel.
Prov 29:11
72%
11A fool uttereth all his anger; But a wise man keepeth it back and stilleth it.
Jer 17:11
72%
11As the partridge that sitteth on [eggs] which she hath not laid, so is he that getteth riches, and not by right; in the midst of his days they shall leave him, and at his end he shall be a fool.
Prov 15:14
72%
14The heart of him that hath understanding seeketh knowledge; But the mouth of fools feedeth on folly.
Prov 10:10
72%
10He that winketh with the eye causeth sorrow; But a prating fool shall fall.
Prov 17:22
72%
22A cheerful heart is a good medicine; But a broken spirit drieth up the bones.
Prov 20:21
72%
21An inheritance [may be] gotten hastily at the beginning; But the end thereof shall not be blessed.
Ps 107:17
72%
17Fools because of their transgression, And because of their iniquities, are afflicted.
Prov 13:24
72%
24He that spareth his rod hateth his son; But he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.
Prov 10:8
72%
8The wise in heart will receive commandments; But a prating fool shall fall.
Prov 13:1
72%
1A wise son [heareth] his father's instruction; But a scoffer heareth not rebuke.