Proverbs 10:1The proverbs of Solomon. A wise son makes a glad father; but a foolish son brings grief to his mother.
The setting
Ancient Jerusalem, ~950 BC. Solomon begins his collection of practical wisdom, likely reflecting on his own relationship with David and his hopes for future generations. Modern-day Jerusalem, Israel.
The emotion here: paternal pride mixed with concern for the next generation
The original word
chakam (חָכָם) — skillful living, not just intelligence but wise choices in relationships and life
Why it matters
This begins the main section of Solomon's proverbs, containing 375 individual sayings
Read with care
What most readers miss in Proverbs 10:1
The Hebrew parallelism contrasts 'glad father' with 'grieving mother' - showing how children's choices affect both parents differently
Common misconceptionPeople think this is about academic achievement or career success, but 'wise' here means making choices that honor God and build strong relationships.
The thread continues
Verses that echo Proverbs 10:1
Bible Genome reading
Proverbs 10:1 — Bible Genome reading
Emotional genome
Proverbs 10:1 comes from the book of Proverbs, written during the United Kingdom period. These words are attributed to Solomon. The dominant emotion in this verse is joyful, with a comfort power of 60% and a tone that is reflective. It belongs to the wisdom genre of biblical literature. Key themes include family, wisdom. Notable phrases: wise son makes glad father.
Emotionally similar
Verses that meet the same joyful
“For to us a child is born. To us a son is given; and the government will be on his shoulders. His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, …”
— Isaiah 9:6
“For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.”
— 1 Corinthians 15:22
“"Death, where is your sting? Hades, where is your victory?"”
— 1 Corinthians 15:55
“Rejoice always.”
— 1 Thessalonians 5:16
“Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old things have passed away. Behold, all things have become new.”
— 2 Corinthians 5:17
Your reflection
What does Proverbs 10:1 mean to you, today?
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