“The proverbs of Solomon”: This is the heading for the collection of sayings that follows.

The social standing and success of a family depended upon the character of the son or sons as the heir or heirs of the family property. This saying contrasts the effects on family relationships of being wise or foolish.

“A wise son makes a glad father”: “A wise son” is a son who has the good sense to make wise decisions in every day affairs. As in 1.8, many modern translations prefer to use an inclusive term for “son”; for example, New Jerusalem Bible and New Revised Standard Version have “a wise child.” Good News Translation and others say “wise children.” “Makes . . . glad” translates the causative form of the verb to rejoice. The sense is to make happy, fill with joy. Note Good News Translation “make their fathers proud of them.” “Father” is handled in three ways in translation: (1) as “father” in the singular, (2) as “fathers” in the plural to agree with children (Good News Translation), or (3) by combining “father” and “mother” in the same line.

“But a foolish son is a sorrow to his mother”: In Hebrew the element of contrast in this verse and those that follow is expressed simply by the common connector (“and” or “but”) placed at the beginning of the second line. Most translations render this in English as “but.” In other languages translators are advised to use the terms and constructions that are commonly used to express contrast, rather than giving a literal rendering of “but.” In some languages it is natural for the two lines simply to follow one another without any connecting term, with readers or hearers understanding the element of contrast from the content of the lines. “Foolish” renders the same root as used of the noisy adulterous woman in 9.13. This quality contrasts with that of the “wise son” in the first line and may be expressed, for example, as “senseless,” “silly,” or “stupid.” “Sorrow” renders a noun that expresses the opposite of “glad” in the first line, that is, sad or unhappy.

We may render this verse, for example, “If you are a wise son, you will make your father happy, but if you are stupid you will make your mother sad.”

If such a rendering gives the impression that only the mother will be sad, it is better to combine “father” and “mother” as “parents”; for example, “If you are wise, you will make your parents happy, but if you are stupid you will make them sad.”

Quoted with permission from Reyburn, William D. and Fry, Euan McG. A Handbook on Proverbs. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2000. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .