This verse opens the central collection of Solomon's proverbs, 10:1–22:16.
Quick answer
The main collection opens at home: a child's wisdom gladdens a father, and a child's folly grieves a mother. An observation about how deeply parents feel their children's choices, not a formula for producing wise children or a verdict on grieving parents.
Read both lines
The heading "The proverbs of Solomon" marks a new door: the long lectures of chapters 1–9 are behind you, and from here to 22:16 the book speaks in short two-line sayings. It is fitting that the first is about a son, because the whole collection is framed as a family handing wisdom forward. The two lines split the parents, father glad and mother grieved, the Hebrew poet's way of saying both parents feel both things. What the proverb observes is the reach of a child's life into the hearts that raised him. Wisdom and folly both come home.
What it does not mean
This verse describes what parents feel; it does not grade what parents did. A grieving parent has not necessarily failed, and this verse never says so.
Related: Proverbs 15:20 · Proverbs 17:25 · Proverbs 23:24–25
New King James Version®, Copyright © 1982, Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved. Full copyright information. Scripture provided by API.Bible.
Go Deeper
If this verse has been used to put weight on you that it was never carrying, ask about it directly.