Proverbs 17:21 — Bible Verse (KJV)

“He that begetteth a fool doeth it to his sorrow: and the father of a fool hath no joy.”

Proverbs 17:21 — King James Version (KJV), 1611

Proverbs 17:21 in 6 Bible Translations

Read Proverbs 17:21 in the King James Version (KJV) and 5 other free, public-domain translations side by side.

Proverbs 17:21 WEB — World English Bible (2000)

“He who becomes the father of a fool grieves. The father of a fool has no joy.”

Proverbs 17:21 — World English Bible

Proverbs 17:21 ASV — American Standard Version (1901)

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

Proverbs 17:21 — American Standard Version

Proverbs 17:21 YLT — Young's Literal Translation (1862)

“Whoso is begetting a fool hath affliction for it, Yea, the father of a fool rejoiceth not.”

Proverbs 17:21 — Young's Literal Translation

Proverbs 17:21 DBY — Darby Translation (1890)

“He that begetteth a fool [doeth it] to his sorrow, and the father of a vile [man] hath no joy. ”

Proverbs 17:21 — Darby Translation

Proverbs 17:21 GEN — Geneva Bible (1599)

“He that begetteth a foole, getteth himselfe sorow, and the father of a foole can haue no ioy.”

Proverbs 17:21 — Geneva Bible

Proverbs 17:21 in Context — Proverbs 17

19 He loveth transgression that loveth strife: and he that exalteth his gate seeketh destruction.

20 He that hath a froward heart findeth no good: and he that hath a perverse tongue falleth into mischief.

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

22 A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.

23 A wicked man taketh a gift out of the bosom to pervert the ways of judgment.

Read the full chapter: Proverbs 17 — Paul in Athens — The Unknown God →

What Does Proverbs 17:21 Mean?

Proverbs 17:21 is a verse from the Book of Proverbs, part of the Old Testament. It appears in Proverbs chapter 17. Use The Living Sword's word-by-word study mode to explore every word in the original Hebrew and Aramaic.

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