Proverbs

Proverbs 15:20–21

²⁰A wise son brings joy to his father,

but a foolish man despises his mother.

²¹Folly is joy to one who lacks judgment,

but a man of understanding walks a straight path.

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
A wise	חָ֭כָם	ḥā·ḵām	Adjective - masculine singular	H2450 wise
son	בֵּ֣ן	bên	Noun - masculine singular	H1121 son
brings joy	יְשַׂמַּח־	yə·śam·maḥ-	Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H8055 rejoice, be glad
to his father	אָ֑ב	’āḇ	Noun - masculine singular	H1 father
but a foolish	וּכְסִ֥יל	ū·ḵə·sîl	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular	H3684 stupid fellow, dullard, fool
man	אָ֝דָ֗ם	’ā·ḏām	Noun - masculine singular	H120 man, mankind
despises	בּוֹזֶ֥ה	bō·w·zeh	Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular	H959 despise
his mother	אִמּֽוֹ׃	’im·mōw	Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H517 mother

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Folly	אִ֭וֶּלֶת	’iw·we·leṯ	Noun - feminine singular	H200 folly
is joy	שִׂמְחָ֣ה	śim·ḥāh	Noun - feminine singular	H8057 joy, gladness, mirth
to one who lacks	לַחֲסַר־	la·ḥă·sar-	Preposition-l, Article; Adjective - masculine singular construct	H2638 needy, lacking, in want of
judgment	לֵ֑ב	lêḇ	Noun - masculine singular	H3820 inner man, mind, will, heart
but a man	וְאִ֥ישׁ	wə·’îš	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular construct	H376 man
of understanding	תְּ֝בוּנָ֗ה	tə·ḇū·nāh	Noun - feminine singular	H8394 intelligence, argument, caprice
walks	לָֽכֶת׃	lå̄·ḵɛṯ	Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H1980 go, come, walk
a straight path	יְיַשֶׁר־	yə·yaš·šer-	Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H3474 be smooth, straight, right

Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.

Proverbs 15:20 Proverbs 29:3 · Proverbs 10:1 · Proverbs 23:15–16 · 1 Kings 1:48 · Leviticus 19:3 · Proverbs 23:22 · 1 Kings 5:7

Proverbs 15:21 Ephesians 5:15 · Proverbs 10:23 · Proverbs 14:16 · Job 28:28 · Psalm 111:10 · Proverbs 26:18–19 · Proverbs 11:12 · James 3:13 · Proverbs 14:9

Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.