Proverbs 17:25 (LSB)

Passage

A foolish son is a vexation to his father And bitterness to her who gave birth to him.

Nearby Context

Proverbs 17:23 A wicked man receives a bribe from the bosom To thrust aside the paths of justice.

Proverbs 17:24 Wisdom is in the presence of the one who understands, But the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth.

Proverbs 17:25 A foolish son is a vexation to his father And bitterness to her who gave birth to him.

Proverbs 17:26 It is also not good to punish the righteous, Nor to strike the noble for their uprightness.

Proverbs 17:27 He who holds back his words has knowledge, And he who has a cool spirit is a man of discernment.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "foolish", "vexation", "father", "bitterness", "gave", and "birth". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "foolish" and "vexation", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 24's "Wisdom is in the presence of the..." into verse 26's "It is also not good to punish...", so "foolish" and "vexation" belong inside that flow. In Proverbs context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "foolish" and "vexation" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.