Proverbs 17:25 (YLT)

Passage

A provocation to his father <FI>is<Fi> a foolish son, And bitterness to her that bare him.

Nearby Context

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

Proverbs 17:24 The face of the intelligent <FI>is<Fi> to wisdom, And the eyes of a fool--at the end of the earth.

Proverbs 17:25 A provocation to his father <FI>is<Fi> a foolish son, And bitterness to her that bare him.

Proverbs 17:26 Also, to fine the righteous is not good, To smite nobles for uprightness.

Proverbs 17:27 One acquainted with knowledge is sparing his words, And the cool of temper <FI>is<Fi> a man of understanding.

Study Lenses

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

The nearby context moves from verse 24's "The face of the intelligent FI is..." into verse 26's "Also to fine the righteous is not...", so "provocation" and "father" 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 "provocation" and "father" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.