Wise Child
A wise child[a] brings joy to a father;
a foolish child brings grief to a mother.
2
Tainted wealth has no lasting value,
but right living can save your life.
Verse 1
Several words in this verse contrast with other words. ‘Wise’ contrasts with ‘foolish’. ‘Father’ contrasts with ‘mother’. ‘Joy’ contrasts with ‘pain.’
It does not matter whether you are young or old. It does not matter whether you are a man or a woman.
It does matter whether you are wise or foolish. If you are wise, then you respect God. ‘Respect God! This is the first lesson in wisdom. Know God! This is intelligence.’ (Proverbs 9:10) Your wisdom will help other people. For example, this verse says that wisdom will bring joy to a father.
If you are foolish, then you live for your own pleasure. If you do this, then you refuse God’s wisdom. Other people will suffer because you are a fool. For example, this verse says that a fool will cause pain to his mother.
Verse 2
‘If you steal money, then it has no value.’ You could argue that this is not true. If someone steals money, then he can still spend it. He can buy many things. A thief can become wealthy. But Solomon argues that this wealth is worth nothing.
Wisdom is better than money, because wisdom can save your life. So if a poor man is wise, then he is richer than a foolish king.
In Psalm 14, we are reminded that the fool declares in his heart, "There is no God." Proverbs often employs a literary device called parallelism. It is not just the case that wise sons bring pleasure only to their fathers, nor do foolish sons solely cause grief to their mothers. While the word "parents" could be used as a substitute for both "father" and "mother," this avoids unnecessary repetition in the proverbs.
Verse 2 emphasizes the significance of how one earns their money. If you lead others into dishonest transactions, you are inviting calamity, whereas engaging in fair and legitimate deals results in an abundant and purposeful life.
Reflect upon this: Are you a wise or foolish child? Do your actions bring pride to your parents?
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