What does Proverbs 10:1 mean?

This begins a long series of brief, general-case statements of advice or observations, each of which is called a proverb. Since these statements make up the bulk of this book of Scripture, the work is referred to as "The Book of Proverbs."

Here, Solomon writes about two very different sons and how each son affects his parents. A wise son has taken to heart his parents' instructions (Proverbs 5:1–2). He values wisdom beyond silver, gold, and jewels (Proverbs 8:10–11). He walks in the way of righteousness and justice (Proverbs 8:20), and he fears the Lord (Proverbs 9:10). He causes his father to rejoice (Proverbs 10:1).

However, a foolish son ridicules wisdom (Proverbs 1:7). He is arrogant, unteachable, refuses to fear God, leads an evil lifestyle, and is lazy (Proverbs 1:25, 29; 4:17, 19; 6:9; 8:13). A foolish son causes his mother to grieve (Proverbs 10:1).

Of course, a wise son brings joy to his mother as well as to his father, and a foolish son grieves his father as well as his mother. The use of "father" in one line of the verse and "mother" in the next is simply a common construction in proverbial literature. Both parents experience either joy or sorrow depending on their son's behavior.