A man who loves wisdom brings joy to his father, but a companion of prostitutes squanders his wealth.
Parallel translations
- WEB Whoever loves wisdom brings joy to his father; but a companion of prostitutes squanders his wealth.
- KJV Whoso loveth wisdom rejoiceth his father: but he that keepeth company with harlots spendeth his substance.
- NKJV Whoever loves wisdom makes his father rejoice, But a companion of harlots wastes his wealth.
- NASB A man who loves wisdom makes his father glad, But he who involves himself with prostitutes wastes his wealth.
- NLT The man who loves wisdom brings joy to his father, but if he hangs around with prostitutes, his wealth is wasted.
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
Loving wisdom delights a father, but consorting with prostitutes wastes one's wealth. It contrasts the joy of wise living with the ruin of immorality.
Overview
The proverb pairs the joy a wise son brings his father with the loss and shame of a son who squanders his substance on prostitutes. Wisdom honors family and preserves blessing, while sexual sin destroys. This recalls the prodigal who wasted his inheritance and the Father's joy at the repentant son's return, a picture of gospel grace (Luke 15:13).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 14
- Prov 27:11Be wise, my son, and bring joy to my heart, so that I can answer him who taunts me.
- Luke 15:30But when this son of yours returns from squandering your wealth with prostitutes, you kill the fattened calf for him!’
- Prov 10:1The proverbs of Solomon: A wise son brings joy to his father, but a foolish son grief to his mother.
- Prov 15:20A wise son brings joy to his father, but a foolish man despises his mother.
- Prov 6:26For the levy of the prostitute is poverty, and the adulteress preys upon your very life.
- Prov 28:7A discerning son keeps the law, but a companion of gluttons disgraces his father.
- Luke 15:13After a few days, the younger son got everything together and journeyed to a distant country, where he squandered his wealth in wild living.
- Prov 21:17He who loves pleasure will become poor; the one who loves wine and oil will never be rich.
- Prov 5:8–10Keep your path far from her; do not go near the door of her house,
- Prov 23:24–25The father of a righteous man will greatly rejoice, and he who fathers a wise son will delight in him.
- Prov 21:20Precious treasures and oil are in the dwelling of the wise, but a foolish man consumes them.
- Prov 28:19The one who works his land will have plenty of food, but whoever chases fantasies will have his fill of poverty.
- Luke 1:13–17But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John.
- Prov 23:15My son, if your heart is wise, my own heart will indeed rejoice.
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 29:3 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.