Translations
F.O.G.MPrimary
F.O.G MessageHaving a foolish child is a source of grief; the parent of a godless fool knows no joy.
F.O.GSecondary
The F.O.GWhoever fathers a fool brings grief upon himself; a father of a scoundrel finds no joy.
KJV
King James VersionHe that begetteth a fool doeth it to his sorrow: and the father of a fool hath no joy.
BSB
Berean Standard BibleA man fathers a fool to his own grief; the father of a fool has no joy.
Footnotes
Two distinct Hebrew words appear here: *kesil* (the dull, morally resistant fool of Proverbs) and *naval* (the base scoundrel, the impious churl — cf. Ps. 14:1, 'The *naval* says in his heart, there is no God'). The proverb moves from the generic fool to the extreme case of the *naval*, mapping an escalating sorrow: *tugah* (grief, sorrow) for the parent of a *kesil*; no *simchah* (rejoicing, festive joy) for the father of a *naval*. FOG preserves both terms distinctly; FOG Message renders *naval* as 'godless fool' to capture its essentially religious defiance.