'Son' in the Bible

The proverbs (truths obscurely expressed, maxims) of Solomon son of David, king of Israel:

My son, hear the instruction of your father,And do not reject the teaching of your mother.

My son, if sinners entice you,Do not consent.

My son, do not walk on the road with them;Keep your foot [far] away from their path,

My son, if you will receive my wordsAnd treasure my commandments within you,

My son, do not forget my teaching,But let your heart keep my commandments;

My son, do not reject or take lightly the discipline of the Lord [learn from your mistakes and the testing that comes from His correction through discipline];Nor despise His rebuke,

For those whom the Lord loves He corrects,Even as a father corrects the son in whom he delights.

My son, let them not escape from your sight,But keep sound wisdom and discretion,

When I was a son with my father (David),Tender and the only son in the sight of my mother (Bathsheba),

Hear, my son, and accept my sayings,And the years of your life will be many.

My son, pay attention to my words and be willing to learn;Open your ears to my sayings.

My son, be attentive to my wisdom [godly wisdom learned by costly experience],Incline your ear to my understanding;

Why should you, my son, be exhilarated with an immoral womanAnd embrace the bosom of an outsider (pagan)?

My son, if you have become surety (guaranteed a debt or obligation) for your neighbor,If you have given your pledge for [the debt of] a stranger or another [outside your family],

Do this now, my son, and release yourself [from the obligation];Since you have come into the hand of your neighbor,Go humble yourself, and plead with your neighbor [to pay his debt and release you].

My son, be guided by your father’s [God-given] commandment (instruction)And do not reject the teaching of your mother;

My son, keep my wordsAnd treasure my commandments within you [so they are readily available to guide you].

The proverbs of Solomon:A wise son makes a father glad,But a foolish [stubborn] son [who refuses to learn] is a grief to his mother.

He who gathers during summer and takes advantage of his opportunities is a son who acts wisely,But he who sleeps during harvest and ignores the moment of opportunity is a son who acts shamefully.

A wise son heeds and accepts [and is the result of] his father’s discipline and instruction,But a scoffer does not listen to reprimand and does not learn from his errors.

He who withholds the rod [of discipline] hates his son,But he who loves him disciplines and trains him diligently and appropriately [with wisdom and love].

A wise son makes a father glad,But a foolish man despises his mother.

A wise servant will rule over the [unworthy] son who acts shamefully and brings disgrace [to the family]And [the worthy servant] will share in the inheritance among the brothers.

A foolish son is a grief and anguish to his fatherAnd bitterness to her who gave birth to him.

A foolish (ungodly) son is destruction to his father,And the contentions of a [quarrelsome] wife are like a constant dripping [of water].

Discipline and teach your son while there is hope,And do not [indulge your anger or resentment by imposing inappropriate punishment nor] desire his destruction.

He who assaults his father and chases away his motherIs a son who brings shame and disgrace.

Cease listening, my son, to instruction and disciplineAnd you will stray from the words of knowledge.

My son, if your heart is wise,My heart will also be glad;

Listen, my son, and be wise,And direct your heart in the way [of the Lord].

My son, give me your heartAnd let your eyes delight in my ways,

My son, eat honey, because it is good,And the drippings of the honeycomb are sweet to your taste.

My son, fear the Lord and the king;And do not associate with those who are given to change [of allegiance, and are revolutionary],

My son, be wise, and make my heart glad,That I may reply to him who reproaches (reprimands, criticizes) me.

He who keeps the law [of God and man] is a wise and discerning son,But he who is a companion of gluttons humiliates his father [and himself].

Correct your son, and he will give you comfort;Yes, he will delight your soul.

He who pampers his slave from childhoodWill find him to be a son in the end.

The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, the oracle:The man says to Ithiel, to Ithiel and to Ucal:

What, O my son?And what, O son of my womb?And what [shall I advise you], O son of my vows?