Proverbs 17:21 (KJV)

Passage

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

Nearby Context

Proverbs 17:19 He loveth transgression that loveth strife: and he that exalteth his gate seeketh destruction.

Proverbs 17:20 He that hath a froward heart findeth no good: and he that hath a perverse tongue falleth into mischief.

Proverbs 17:21 He that begetteth a fool doeth it to his sorrow: and the father of a fool hath no joy.

Proverbs 17:22 A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.

Proverbs 17:23 A wicked man taketh a gift out of the bosom to pervert the ways of judgment.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "begetteth", "fool", "doeth", "sorrow", "father", and "hath". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "begetteth" and "fool", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 20's "He that hath a froward heart findeth..." into verse 22's "A merry heart doeth good like a...", so "begetteth" and "fool" 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 "begetteth" and "fool" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.