A youngster’s heart is filled with foolishness, but physical discipline will drive it far away.
Parallel translations
- WEB Folly is bound up in the heart of a child: the rod of discipline drives it far from him.
- KJV Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.
- BSB Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child, but the rod of discipline drives it far from him.
- NKJV Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; The rod of correction will drive it far from him.
- NASB Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; The rod of discipline will remove it far from him.
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
Folly is bound up in a child's heart, but loving discipline drives it out. It matters because children need correction to grow in wisdom.
Overview
Children are naturally inclined toward foolishness, and wise, measured discipline helps remove it (Proverbs 13:24; 29:15). The 'rod' represents firm, corrective training rather than harshness. Loving discipline reflects God's own fatherly correction of those he loves for their good (Hebrews 12:6-11).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 10
- Prov 13:24One who spares the rod hates his son, but one who loves him is careful to discipline him.
- Prov 29:15The rod of correction gives wisdom, but a child left to himself causes shame to his mother.
- Prov 19:18Discipline your son, for there is hope; don’t be a willing party to his death.
- Prov 23:13–14Don’t withhold correction from a child. If you punish him with the rod, he will not die.
- Heb 12:10–11For they indeed, for a few days, punished us as seemed good to them; but he for our profit, that we may be partakers of his holiness.
- Prov 29:17Correct your son, and he will give you peace; yes, he will bring delight to your soul.
- Eph 2:3among whom we also all once lived in the lusts of our flesh, doing the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.
- Ps 51:5Behold, I was born in iniquity. In sin my mother conceived me.
- John 3:6That which is born of the flesh is flesh. That which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
- Job 14:4Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? Not one.
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 22:15 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.