Proverbs 19:18
Translations
King James Version (KJV)
Chasten your son while there is hope, and let not your soul spare for his crying.
American King James Version (AKJV)
Chasten your son while there is hope, and let not your soul spare for his crying.
American Standard Version (ASV)
Chasten thy son, seeing there is hope; nd set not thy heart on his destruction.
Basic English Translation (BBE)
Give your son training while there is hope; let not your heart be purposing his death.
Webster's Revision
Chasten thy son while there is hope, and let not thy soul spare for his crying.
World English Bible
Discipline your son, for there is hope; don't be a willing party to his death.
English Revised Version (ERV)
Chasten thy son, seeing there is hope; and set not thy heart on his destruction.
Definitions for Proverbs 19:18
Clarke's Proverbs 19:18 Bible Commentary
Let not thy soul spare for his crying - This is a hard precept for a parent. Nothing affects the heart of a parent so much as a child's cries and tears. But it is better that the child may be caused to cry, when the correction may be healthful to his soul, than that the parent should cry afterwards, when the child is grown to man's estate, and his evil habits are sealed for life.
Barnes's Proverbs 19:18 Bible Commentary
While there is hope - While he is still young, and capable of being reformed.
Crying - Better, as in the margin, Do not set thy soul on his destruction; words which either counsel forbearance in the act of chastisement (compare Ephesians 6:4; Colossians 3:21); or urge that a false clemency is a real cruelty. The latter sense is preferable. The father is warned that to forbear from chastising is virtually to expose the son who needs it to a far worse penalty.
Wesley's Proverbs 19:18 Bible Commentary
19:18 While - Before custom in sin, and thy indulgence have made him incorrigible. Let not - Forbear not to give him due and necessary correction.