Proverbs 17:21 (YLT)

Passage

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

Nearby Context

Proverbs 17:19 Whoso is loving transgression is loving debate, Whoso is making high his entrance is seeking destruction.

Proverbs 17:20 The perverse of heart findeth not good, And the turned in his tongue falleth into evil.

Proverbs 17:21 Whoso is begetting a fool hath affliction for it, Yea, the father of a fool rejoiceth not.

Proverbs 17:22 A rejoicing heart doth good to the body, And a smitten spirit drieth the bone.

Proverbs 17:23 A bribe from the bosom the wicked taketh, To turn aside the paths of judgment.

Study Lenses

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

The nearby context moves from verse 20's "The perverse of heart findeth not good..." into verse 22's "A rejoicing heart doth good to the...", so "whoso" and "begetting" 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 "whoso" and "begetting" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.