Proverbs 17:6

Grandchildren ¹  are like ²  a crown ³  to the elderly, and the glory ⁴  of children is their parents. ⁵ 

Ge 50:23; Ex 3:14,15; 1Ki 11:12; 1Ki 15:4; Job 42:16,17; Ps 127:3-5; Ps 128:3-6

¹ tn Heb “children of children [sons of sons].”

² tn The comparative “like” does not appear in the Hebrew text, but is implied by the metaphor; it is supplied in the translation for the sake of clarity.

³ sn The metaphor signifies that grandchildren are like a crown, that is, they are the “crowning glory” of life. The proverb comes from a culture that places great importance on the family in society and that values its heritage.

⁴ tn The noun תִּפְאָרָת (tif’arat) means “beauty; glory” (BDB 802 s.v.). In this passage “glory” seems to be identified with “glorying; boasting”; so a rendering that children are proud of their parents would be in order. Thus, “glory of children” would be a subjective genitive, the glorying that children do.”

⁵ tc The LXX has inserted: “To the faithful belongs the whole world of wealth, but to the unfaithful not an obulus.” It was apparently some popular sentiment at the time.

tn Heb “their fathers.”