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Proverbs 15:20
A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish man despiseth his mother.

Proverbs 17:21,25
He that begetteth a fooldoeth it to his sorrow: and the father of a fool hath no joy…

Proverbs 19:13
A foolish sonis the calamity of his father: and the contentions of a wifeare a continual dropping.

A wise son brings joy to his father:
In ancient Israelite culture, family was central, and the behavior of children directly impacted the family's honor and reputation. A wise son, one who lives according to God's commandments and exercises discernment, brings joy and pride to his father. This reflects the biblical principle that wisdom leads to life and prosperity, as seen inProverbs 3:13-18. The joy of a father in a wise son can also be seen as a reflection of God's joy in His obedient children, drawing a parallel to the relationship between God the Father and Jesus Christ, who is described as the embodiment of wisdom in1 Corinthians 1:24.

But a foolish son grief to his mother:
The contrast here highlights the pain and sorrow a mother experiences when her child acts foolishly, disregarding wisdom and moral instruction. In the cultural context, a mother's role often included nurturing and teaching children, so a foolish son would be seen as a failure to uphold family values and divine commandments. This grief is not just emotional but can also have social and economic repercussions, as foolishness often leads to destructive behavior. The Bible frequently warns against folly, equating it with sin and separation from God, as seen inProverbs 14:1 and 15:20. The grief of a mother can also be seen as a metaphor for the sorrow God feels when His people turn away from Him, as expressed in passages likeHosea 11:1-4.

• This opening phrase reminds us that what follows comes from the pen of King Solomon, the man God endowed with exceptional wisdom (1 Kings 4:32).

• Because “All Scripture is God-breathed” (2 Timothy 3:16), these sayings carry divine authority, not merely human advice.

• The statement also signals a shift in the book: chapters 1–9 were longer father-to-son discourses; beginning in chapter 10, each short proverb stands as a self-contained nugget of truth.

• Wisdom in Proverbs is practical godliness—living according to God’s revealed ways (Proverbs 9:10).

• A son who chooses that path becomes a delight to his dad.Proverbs 23:24 celebrates the same idea: “The father of a righteous man will greatly rejoice.”

• Notice the verb “brings.” Joy isn’t automatic; it’s produced by intentional, obedient choices (Ephesians 6:1-3).

• Jesus modeled this as a youth: He “was obedient” to Mary and Joseph, and “grew in wisdom” (Luke 2:51-52), bringing pleasure to His heavenly Father as well (Matthew 3:17).

• For parents, a child’s wise conduct is better than any earthly success; it validates years of instruction and prayer.

• The contrast is sharp. “Foolish” in Proverbs points to moral rebellion, not mere lack of intelligence (Proverbs 1:7).

• Mothers, often the closer, nurturing presence, feel this folly most keenly.Genesis 26:34-35 shows Esau’s ungodly marriages that “brought grief to Isaac and Rebekah.”

•Proverbs 17:25 echoes the pain: “A foolish son brings grief to his father and bitterness to her who bore him.”

• Such sorrow is deep and ongoing. Unlike temporary disappointments, a child’s persistent rebellion pierces a parent’s heart day after day.

• The warning is clear: choices made by children reverberate through the family, either refreshing or wounding those who love them most.

Proverbs 10:1 introduces Solomon’s collection of concise, Spirit-inspired truths. It spotlights the profound impact children have on their parents: wise, godly choices fill a father with joy, while foolish rebellion drenches a mother in grief. The verse calls every reader to value and pursue wisdom, knowing that obedience to God not only honors Him but also blesses the family.

3. A COLLECTION OF 375 SEPARATE VERSES ON VARIOUS SUBJECTS, MARKED BY A NEW HEADING (Proverbs 10:1 toProverbs 22:16).

(1)The proverbs of Solomon.--The new title and different style of composition mark a new collection of proverbs. (See above, in theIntroduction.) Each verse is distinct and complete in itself; but the collector appears to have endeavoured to throw together such as touched on the same subject. For instance,Proverbs 10:4-5, show why one man fails and another succeeds;Proverbs 10:6-7, how blessings and curses follow different persons. But the connection is sometimes so slight as to be difficult to catch.