A gray head is a crown of glory; It is found in the way of righteousness.
Parallel translations
- WEB Gray hair is a crown of glory. It is attained by a life of righteousness.
- KJV The hoary head is a crown of glory, if it be found in the way of righteousness.
- BSB Gray hair is a crown of glory; it is attained along the path of righteousness.
- NKJV The silver-haired head is a crown of glory, If it is found in the way of righteousness.
- NLT Gray hair is a crown of glory; it is gained by living a godly life.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Gray hair is an honorable crown when gained through a righteous life. It matters because a long life lived in godliness is worthy of honor.
Overview
This proverb dignifies old age as a crown of glory, especially when attained through righteousness. It links the honor of age to a life well-lived before God, not merely to years. Scripture commands respect for the aged and sees godly longevity as a blessing (Leviticus 19:32).
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 12
- Prov 20:29The glory of young men is their strength. The splendor of old men is their gray hair.
- Lev 19:32“‘You shall rise up before the gray head, and honor the face of an old man, and you shall fear your God. I am Yahweh.
- Prov 3:1–2My son, don’t forget my teaching; but let your heart keep my commandments:
- Prov 17:6Children’s children are the crown of old men; the glory of children are their parents.
- 1 Sam 12:2–5Now, behold, the king walks before you. I am old and gray-headed. Behold, my sons are with you. I have walked before you from my youth to this day.
- Phlm 1:9yet for love’s sake I rather beg, being such a one as Paul, the aged, but also a prisoner of Jesus Christ.
- Eccl 4:13Better is a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king who doesn’t know how to receive admonition any more.
- Gen 47:7–10Joseph brought in Jacob, his father, and set him before Pharaoh, and Jacob blessed Pharaoh.
- Luke 2:29–38“Now you are releasing your servant, Master, according to your word, in peace;
- Luke 1:6They were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord.
- Job 32:6–7Elihu the son of Barachel the Buzite answered, “I am young, and you are very old; Therefore I held back, and didn’t dare show you my opinion.
- 1 Chr 29:10–25Therefore David blessed Yahweh before all the assembly; and David said, “You are blessed, Yahweh, the God of Israel our father, forever and ever.
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
Wisdom personified, with God before creation and the agent of all things, anticipates Christ 'in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom' — the wisdom of God made flesh.
How Proverbs 16:31 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.