Dictionary

spare the rod and spoil the child en · X

Pronunciation

• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

Commonly claimed to have come from the King James Version of the Bible, Book of Proverbs, 13:24: “He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.” Due to the associated “spoil" concept which is not in the Bible, it more likely came from a 17th-century poem by Samuel Butler called Hudibras. In the poem, a love affair is likened to a child, and spanking is mockingly commended as a way to make the love grow stronger. The actual verse reads: : What medicine else can cure the fits Of lovers when they lose their wits? Love is a boy by poets styled Then spare the rod and spoil the child.

Meanings

1. If one does not discipline a child, they will never learn obedience and good manners.

Forms

Relateds

keep a rod in pickle · give someone enough rope and they'll hang themself · Orbilian

Translations (33)

de wer mit der Rute spart, verzieht das Kind (if one does not discipline a child he or she will never learn respect or humility) · te మొక్కై వంగనిది మానై వంగున (if one does not discipline a child he or she will never learn respect or humility) · eo amo kaj puno loĝas komune (if one does not discipline a child he or she will never learn respect or humility) · nl zachte heelmeesters, stinkende wonden (if one does not discipline a child he or she will never learn respect or humility) · sv aga din son medan han är liten, annars agar han dig när han blir stor (if one does not discipline a child he or she will never learn respect or humility) · it chi ama bene, castiga bene (if one does not discipline a child he or she will never learn respect or humility) · fi joka vitsaa säästää, se lastaan vihaa (if one does not discipline a child he or she will never learn respect or humility) · el όποιος αγαπά, τιμωρεί (if one does not discipline a child he or she will never learn respect or humility) · cmn 不打不成器 (if one does not discipline a child he or she will never learn respect or humility) · grc ὃς φείδεται τῆς βακτηρίας μισεῖ τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ, ὁ δὲ ἀγαπῶν ἐπιμελῶς παιδεύει (if one does not discipline a child he or she will never learn respect or humility) · da den man elsker, tugter man (if one does not discipline a child he or she will never learn respect or humility) · he חוֹשֵׂךְ שִׁבְטוֹ, שׂוֹנֵא בְנוֹ (if one does not discipline a child he or she will never learn respect or humility) · pt quem ama, castiga (if one does not discipline a child he or she will never learn respect or humility) · es quien bien te quiere, te hará llorar (if one does not discipline a child he or she will never learn respect or humility) · ko 고운 자식 매로 키운다 (if one does not discipline a child he or she will never learn respect or humility) · la quī bene amat, bene castīgat (if one does not discipline a child he or she will never learn respect or humility) · hu néha jól jön egy jól irányzott pofon (if one does not discipline a child he or she will never learn respect or humility) · tr insan sevdiğine takılırmış (if one does not discipline a child he or she will never learn respect or humility) · es la letra con sangre entra (if one does not discipline a child he or she will never learn respect or humility) · sv den man älskar, agar man (if one does not discipline a child he or she will never learn respect or humility) · es escatima el palo y malcría al hijo (if one does not discipline a child he or she will never learn respect or humility) · hu elkel néha egy jól irányzott pofon (if one does not discipline a child he or she will never learn respect or humility) · fr qui aime bien, châtie bien (if one does not discipline a child he or she will never learn respect or humility) · vi cá không ăn muối cá ươn (if one does not discipline a child he or she will never learn respect or humility) · de wer sein Kind liebt, der schlägt es (if one does not discipline a child he or she will never learn respect or humility) · ja 獅子の子落とし (if one does not discipline a child he or she will never learn respect or humility) · cmn 省了棍子，慣壞了孩子 /省了棍子 (if one does not discipline a child he or she will never learn respect or humility) · cmn 惯坏了孩子 (if one does not discipline a child he or she will never learn respect or humility) · ja 可愛い子には旅をさせよ (if one does not discipline a child he or she will never learn respect or humility) · pl dzieci trzeba trzymać krótko (if one does not discipline a child he or she will never learn respect or humility) · vi thương cho roi cho vọt, ghét cho ngọt cho bùi (if one does not discipline a child he or she will never learn respect or humility) · vi thương cho roi cho vọt (if one does not discipline a child he or she will never learn respect or humility) · cmn 三天不打，上房揭瓦 (if one does not discipline a child he or she will never learn respect or humility)

wikipedia: Book of Proverbs · wikipedia: Samuel Butler (poet) · wikipedia: King James Version of the Bible · wikipedia: spare the rod and spoil the child