Proverbs 19:13 (KJV)

What does Proverbs 19:13 mean?

Proverbs 19:13 describes two kinds of trouble within a household. A son whose foolish behavior brings disaster causes distress to his father. A wife’s repeated quarrels are compared to a persistent leak, suggesting a trouble that wears on those who live with it.

The image of continual dropping would have called to mind water coming through a roof during rain. The proverb places that steady, irritating sound beside the serious damage caused by the son’s conduct.

The Hebrew behind Proverbs 19:13

• “foolish” — כְּסִיל (kesil): This word often describes someone who lacks good judgment. In Proverbs, it commonly suggests a person who resists correction, rather than someone who simply knows little.
• “contentions” — מִדְיָן (midyan): The word carries the sense of strife or quarrelling. Its use here points to conflict in speech and behavior, not merely a private difference of opinion.

Why Proverbs 19:13 matters

• The proverb distinguishes a severe blow from a repeated irritation. “Calamity” describes the effect of the son’s foolishness, while the dripping image describes the lasting nature of the wife’s quarrels.
• The household setting joins this saying to the next verse through a contrast. Verse 13 names family troubles, while verse 14 speaks of a house, wealth, and a prudent wife as possessions or gifts.
• The comparison to dripping focuses on persistence. The phrase “continual dropping” makes the repeated nature of the quarrelling important to the picture.