Disciplinary Reaction

Letter writer Bryan Bowen makes a common error of interpretation (Nov. 11) when he quotes Proverbs 22:15 (“Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; the rod of correction drives it far from him”). The problem with English translations of the Bible is that they are only approximate.

The “rod” in Proverbs 22:15 is actually the Hebrew “shebet,” referring to the rod or staff a shepherd used to guide sheep. It was not used for striking the animal; it was used to prod and redirect. So, “the rod of correction” means guide your children, not strike them with a stick, belt or other instrument. The definition of “discipline,” by the way, is “to teach,” not “to punish.” Discipline does not have to be physical to be effective. I, for one, am not planning to watch “The Bernie Mac Show.”

DONNA MARCUS BOND

Granada Hills