A wise son listens to his father’s instruction, but a scoffer doesn’t listen to rebuke.
Parallel translations
- KJV A wise son heareth his father’s instruction: but a scorner heareth not rebuke.
- BSB A wise son heeds his father’s discipline, but a mocker does not listen to rebuke.
- NKJV A wise son heeds his father’s instruction, But a scoffer does not listen to rebuke.
- NASB A wise son accepts his father’s discipline, But a scoffer does not listen to rebuke.
- NLT A wise child accepts a parent’s discipline; a mocker refuses to listen to correction.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
A wise son heeds his father's instruction, but a scoffer refuses rebuke. Teachability marks the wise; mockery marks the fool.
Overview
This proverb contrasts the wise son who listens to instruction with the scoffer who will not accept correction. Receptiveness to discipline is again presented as the path of wisdom. Such humble listening reflects the posture of a disciple toward God the Father, who instructs His children in the way they should go.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 9
- Prov 15:5A fool despises his father’s correction, but he who heeds reproof shows prudence.
- Prov 9:7–8He who corrects a mocker invites insult. He who reproves a wicked man invites abuse.
- Prov 15:20A wise son makes a father glad, but a foolish man despises his mother.
- Prov 10:1The proverbs of Solomon. A wise son makes a glad father; but a foolish son brings grief to his mother.
- Prov 4:1–14Listen, sons, to a father’s instruction. Pay attention and know understanding;
- 1 Sam 2:25If one man sins against another, God will judge him; but if a man sins against Yahweh, who will intercede for him?” Notwithstanding, they didn’t listen to the voice of their father, because Yahweh intended to kill them.
- Prov 4:20–22My son, attend to my words. Turn your ear to my sayings.
- Isa 28:14–15Therefore hear Yahweh’s word, you scoffers, that rule this people in Jerusalem:
- Prov 14:6A scoffer seeks wisdom, and doesn’t find it, but knowledge comes easily to a discerning person.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Wisdom personified, with God before creation and the agent of all things, anticipates Christ 'in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom' — the wisdom of God made flesh.
How Proverbs 13:1 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.