3
Don't put much hope in their future or expect them to live a long time. One child who does the Lord's will is better than a thousand who do not. It is better to go to your grave with no children at all than to have children who are godless.
1
A large family is nothing to be desired if the children are worthless. Godless children are nothing to be proud of.
2
No matter how many children you have, don't look on them with pride unless they fear the Lord.
3
Don't put much hope in their future or expect them to live a long time. One child who does the Lord's will is better than a thousand who do not. It is better to go to your grave with no children at all than to have children who are godless.
4
A city's population may grow because of the wisdom of one person, while a whole tribe of lawless people disappears.
5
I have seen such things many times and have heard of even more striking examples.
Footnotes 1
[a].
[Hebrew] who does . . . do not; [Greek] is better than a thousand.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.