PROV 16:31 Interlinear View

SIL Open Translator’s Notes:

Section 10:1–22:16: This is the main collection of Solomon’s proverbs

This section is the main collection of Solomon’s proverbs. It has a very different structure from the longer poetic lectures of chapters 1–9. It consists mostly of individual couplets (two-line poems) that are each one verse in length. With the exception of the title (10:1a), paragraph breaks will not be indicated in the Notes or Display. You may of course choose to start each proverb as a separate paragraph in your translation.

In chapters 10–15, most of these one-verse couplets express a contrast between the two lines. One of the more common contrasts is between the righteous/wise and the wicked/foolish and the different consequences of their conduct.

In chapters 16:1–22:16, more topics are discussed. There is more emphasis on the role of the king and other leaders. In these chapters, there are few proverbs with contrasting lines. Some of the parallel lines are similar in meaning. More frequently, the second line adds to what the first line says or gives an example. Most of the verses have no obvious connection with the previous or following proverbs.UBS (page 214), Fox (page 509), McKane (page 413). Many scholars, including McKane, point out that there are some topical groupings as well as poetic connections. These include the repetition of certain words or sounds. This observation does not deny the individual nature of most of the proverbs in this Section.

Two of the types of proverbs in this section are not found in chapters 1–9. One type contains logical reasoning from the lesser to the greater. See 11:31 for a list of these proverbs. There are also several varieties of complex “better than” proverbs. The most common have a contrasting situation in each line (see 12:9). For other varieties, see 16:16, 19:1, and 21:9.

Many of the proverbs in this section refer to categories of people who share a common trait. For example, they refer to the righteous, the wise, the poor, and the lazy. In Hebrew, some verses use singular forms to refer to these groups of people. Other verses use plural forms. Still others use a combination of singular and plural. See the note on 10:30a–b for one example. For most of these verses, the Notes will not comment on the difference between singular and plural forms. Use a natural way in your language to refer to one or more people who are in the same category.

Many of the proverbs in this section express a general principle in abstract terms. They are not addressed specifically to the readers. For example, 10:2a–b says:

Ill-gotten treasures are of no value,

but righteousness delivers from death.

However, the author intended his readers to understand these proverbs as advice that they should follow. In some languages, authors or speakers give advice more directly, using pronouns such as you^(sing), you^(plur), we^(dual), or we^(incl). See the note on 10:2 for translation suggestions.

Some other headings for this section are:

Proverbs of Solomon (NIV)

The Wise Words of Solomon (NCV)

Here are many wise things that Solomon said

16:31

The first line of this proverb describes gray hair as a symbol of honor. The second line describes how gray hair is attained.

^31aGray hair is a crown of glory;

^31bit is attained along the path of righteousness.

16:31a

Gray hair is a crown of glory;

Gray hair is like a beautiful/splendid crown.
A person with gray hair is honored/respected,

Gray hair is a crown of glory: This clause has two figures of speech. Gray hair is a figure of speech (metonymy). It represents old age. It is compared (metaphor) to a splendid/beautiful crown. The similarity between gray hair and a crown is that both are symbols of dignity and honor.

In some cultures, gray hair does not represent old age. If that is true in your culture, some other ways to translate this figure of speech are:

Use a similar figure of speech. For example:
White hairs (NJB)
Silver hair (GW)
Translate the meaning without using a figure of speech. For example:
Old age

If a literal translation of the metaphor is not clear or natural in your language, some other ways to translate it are:

Change the metaphor to a simile. For example:
Gray hair is like a crown of honor (NCV)
Translate the meaning without using the figure of speech of a crown. For example:
Gray hair causes a person to be honored
People honor someone who is old

See the note on 4:9a–b, where the identical phrase “crown of beauty” is used. Also see the note on 12:4b, where “a wife of noble character” is called “her husband’s crown.”

16:31a–b

(combined/reordered)

A long life is the reward of people who do what is right. Their gray hair is like a crown that is a sign of their honored status.

16:31b

it is attained along the path of righteousness.

It is a reward that is gained by doing what is right.
because a long life is the result of righteous conduct.

it is attained along the path of righteousness: This clause explains that old age is gained by means of living along the path of righteousness. Other ways to express the relationship between gray hair (old age) and a righteous life are:

it is gained as a result of a righteous life

it is a reward for consistently doing what is right

General Comment on 16:31a–b

In some languages, it may be more natural to reorder the parallel parts. See 16:31a–b (combined/reordered) in the Display.

uW Translation Notes:

Note 1 topic: figures-of-speech / metonymy

שֵׂיבָ֑ה

gray_hair

Gray hair here refers to old age, which is when people’s hair usually becomes Gray. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “Old age”

Note 2 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

עֲטֶ֣רֶת תִּפְאֶ֣רֶת

crown_of glory

Here Solomon refers to the honor of being an old person as if the old person’s Gray hair were a crown of splendor. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning or use a simile. See how you translated a crown of splendor in [4:9](../04/09.md). Alternate translation: “is a great honor” or “is like a crown of splendor on an old person’s head”

Note 3 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

בְּ⁠דֶ֥רֶךְ

in_[the],way_of

See how you translated the same use of way in [1:15](../01/15.md).

Note 4 topic: figures-of-speech / possession

בְּ⁠דֶ֥רֶךְ צְ֝דָקָ֗ה

in_[the],way_of righteous

Here Solomon is using the possessive form to describe a way that is characterized by righteousness. If your language would not use the possessive form for this, you could use a different expression. Alternate translation: “in the righteous way”

Note 5 topic: figures-of-speech / activepassive

תִּמָּצֵֽא

gained

If your language does not use the passive form in this way, you could state this in active form or in another way that is natural in your language. Alternate translation: “a person finds it”

Note 6 topic: figures-of-speech / metaphor

תִּמָּצֵֽא

gained

Here Solomon refers to becoming old, which Gray hair represents, as if it were an object that a person could find. If it would be helpful in your language, you could express the meaning plainly. Alternate translation: “it is obtained”

OET-LV English word order (‘Reverse’ interlinear)

Note: The OET-RV is still only a first draft, and so far only a few words have been (mostly automatically) matched to the Hebrew or Greek words that they’re translated from.

Acknowledgements: The Hebrew text, lemmas, and morphology are all thanks to the OSHB and some of the glosses are from Macula Hebrew.

OET interlinear PROV 16:31