A foolish son is ruin to his father, and a wife’s quarreling is a continual dripping of rain.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Proverbs 19:13
What does Proverbs 19:13 mean?
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Proverbs 19:13
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The Hebrew word translated "calamity" here is actually plural, suggesting that a foolish son brings not just one disaster, but a series of ongoing troubles and sorrows to his father. This isn't just about a single mistake, but a pattern of ruin that erodes the family's well-being.
A foolish son is ruin to his father, and a wife’s quarreling is a continual dripping of rain.
English Standard Version (ESV)
This passage appears amidst a series of proverbs contrasting wisdom and folly, particularly concerning family life. It's not just a standalone observation; it’s a stark warning about the devastating impact foolish children and contentious spouses can have on a household's well-being and peace. The imagery of a persistent leak through a roof highlights the inescapable, wearisome nature of such strife.
Ever felt like your family's struggles are endless? This verse paints a stark picture of how one person's choices can bring a cascade of trouble.
The verse uses a powerful word for 'calamity' that actually means 'calamities' in the original Hebrew. This isn't just about one bad event; it's about a continuous stream of problems. A foolish child doesn't just cause a single problem; they bring a whole series of sorrows that wear down their father's spirit and reputation.
This can include:
Imagine trying to find peace in your home, only to be constantly worn down by small, irritating annoyances. That's the picture this verse paints.
The comparison of a wife's quarreling to 'a continual dripping of rain' is incredibly vivid. Eastern homes often had flat roofs made of packed earth and straw. During heavy rains, these roofs would leak, causing a constant, irritating drip in multiple places. There was no escape from it – it would disrupt sleep, work, and any sense of comfort.
This imagery powerfully conveys:
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Understand the original words
kesil · Hebrew Noun
A person lacking moral or spiritual understanding; one who rejects the instruction of God and fails to live according to divine wisdom.
havvah · Hebrew Noun
Moral, social, or physical destruction/collapse. It describes the devastating impact of one's actions or state of being on themselves or their community.
This verse directly echoes the imagery of a contentious wife as a 'continual dripping' by comparing her to a leaky roof, emphasizing the constant, irritating nature of such discord.
Proverbs 10:1This passage sets up the contrast between a wise and foolish child, showing how a foolish son brings shame and sorrow, mirroring the 'calamity' mentioned in Proverbs 19:13.
Ecclesiastes 10:1This verse offers a vivid, almost proverbial parallel, stating that a 'foolish servant' and a 'foolish son' can bring ruin, underscoring the destructive impact of foolishness within relationships and households.
Matthew 7:26-27Jesus uses the metaphor of a house built on sand that collapses under a storm, illustrating how foolishness and a lack of a strong foundation lead to ruin, much like a foolish son or a home filled with strife.
clarkeProverbs 19:13: "A foolish son is the calamity of his father: and the contentions of a wife are a continual dropping."
The contentions of a wife are a continual dropping - The man who has got such a wife is like a tenant who has got a cottage with a bad roof through every part of which the rain either drops or pours. He can neither sit, stand work, nor sleep, without being exposed to these droppings. God help the man who is in such a case, with house or wife!
pulpitProverbs 19:13: "A foolish son is the calamity of his father: and the contentions of a wife are a continual dropping."
Verse 13. - With the first clause we may compare Proverbs 10:1; Proverbs 15:20; Proverbs 17:21, 25. Calamity in the Hebrew is in the plural number (contritiones, Pagn.), as if to mark the many and continued sorrows which a bad son brings upon his father, how he causes evil after evil to harass and distress him. The contentions of a wife are a continual dropping (comp. Proverbs…
The Hebrew word translated "calamity" here is actually plural, suggesting that a foolish son brings not just one disaster, but a series of ongoing troubles and sorrows to his father. This isn't just about a single mistake, but a pattern of ruin that erodes the family's well-being.
This passage appears amidst a series of proverbs contrasting wisdom and folly, particularly concerning family life. It's not just a standalone observation; it’s a stark warning about the devastating impact foolish children and contentious spouses can have on a household's well-being and peace. The imagery of a persistent leak through a roof highlights the inescapable, wearisome nature of such strife.
This passage appears amidst a series of proverbs contrasting wisdom and folly, particularly concerning family life. It's not just a standalone observation; it’s a stark warning about the devastating impact foolish children and contentious spouses can have on a household's well-being and peace. The imagery of a persistent leak through a roof highlights the inescapable, wearisome nature of such strife.
"A foolish son is ruin to his father, and a wife’s quarreling is a continual dripping of rain." — The Hebrew word translated "calamity" here is actually plural, suggesting that a foolish son brings not just one disaster, but a series of ongoing troubles and sorrows to his father. This isn't jus…
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Last reviewed October 2026