Proverbs 15:20

20 A wise son maketh a glad father; But a foolish man despiseth his mother.

Proverbs 15:20 Meaning and Commentary

Proverbs 15:20

A wise son maketh a glad father
(See Gill on Proverbs 10:1); but a foolish man despiseth his mother;
that bore him and brought him up, and perhaps was too indulgent to him; which aggravates his sin and her sorrow; (See Gill on Proverbs 10:1); or causes her to be despised by others, as Jarchi interprets it; such a man's sin, which is great folly, and shows him to be a foolish man, is highly resented by the Lord, and will be severely punished; see ( Proverbs 30:17 ) . The Targum is,

``a foolish son despises his mother;''

and so the Septuagint, Syriac, and Arabic versions, which makes the antithesis more clear; and the Hebrew text designs one grown up to man's estate.

Proverbs 15:20 In-Context

18 A wrathful man stirreth up contention; But he that is slow to anger appeaseth strife.

19 The way of the sluggard is as a hedge of thorns; But the path of the upright is made a highway.

20 A wise son maketh a glad father; But a foolish man despiseth his mother.

21 Folly is joy to him that is void of wisdom; But a man of understanding maketh straight his going.

22 Where there is no counsel, purposes are disappointed; But in the multitude of counsellors they are established.