Proverbs 13:24
He that spareth the rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him correcteth him betimes.
Open Proverbs 13:24 in the Motif Searcher, word by word across all five texts →Show on the spiral →The verse in its languages
- Vulgate (Clementine)
- Qui parcit virgæ odit filium suum ; qui autem diligit illum instanter erudit.
- Septuagint (Swete)
- ὃς φείδεται τῆς βακτηρίας, μισεῖ τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ, ὁ δὲ ἀγαπῶν ἐπιμελῶς παιδεύει.
- Hebrew (WLC)
- חוֹשֵׂ֣ךְ שִׁ֭בְטוֹ שׂוֹנֵ֣א בְנ֑וֹ וְ֝אֹהֲב֗וֹ שִֽׁחֲר֥וֹ מוּסָֽר
Haydock's commentary
Betimes. God has always treated his friends in this manner, to preserve them from sin, or to increase their reward. (Calmet)
From Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary, 1859, in the transcription made by Todd Easton and kept online by John Paul Wohlschied at johnblood.gitlab.io/haydock.
The Fathers on this verse
Clement of Alexandria The Instructor, Chapter XII. Continuation: with Texts from Scripture
Such of our brethren as transgress, we must not punish, but rebuke. “For he that spareth the rod hateth his son.”
St Cyprian Three Books of Testimonies Against the Jews, Testimony CV
In Solomon: “He who spareth the rod, hateth his son.” And again: “Do not cease from correcting the child.”
The Apostolic Constitutions Book IV, Sec. II. On Domestic and Social Life
XI. Ye fathers, educate your children in the Lord, bringing them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord; and teach them such trades as are agreeable and suitable to the word, lest they by such opportunity become extravagant, and continue without punishment from their parents, and so get relaxation before their time, and go astray from that which is good. Wherefore be not afraid to reprove them, and to teach them wisdom with severity. For your corrections will not kill them, but rather preserve them. As Solomon says somewhere in the book of Wisdom: “Chasten thy son, and he will refresh thee; so wilt thou have good hope of him. …
St Augustine The Correction of the Donatists, Chapter 6
But, moreover, holy Scripture has both said concerning the former better class, "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear;" and also concerning the latter lower class, which furnishes the majority, "A servant will not be corrected by words; for though he understand, he will not answer." In saying, "He will not be corrected by words," he did not order him to be left to himself, but implied an admonition as to the means whereby he ought to be corrected; otherwise he would not have said, "He will not be corrected by words," but without any qualification, "He will not be corrected." For in another place he says that not only the servant, but also the undisdained son, must be corrected with stripes, and that with great fruits as the result; for he says, "Thou shall beat him with the rod, and shall deliver his soul from hell;" and elsewhere he says, "He that spareth the rod …