Ecclesiastes 10
1 [A few] dead flies in [a bottle of] perfume cause [all] the perfume to stink. Similarly [SIM], a small amount of acting foolishly can have a greater effect than acting wisely.
Des mouches mortes gâtent une fiole d'huile parfumée; mieux vaut un peu de sagesse qu'une grande gloire avec de la folie.
2 If people think sensibly, it will lead them to do what is right; if they think foolishly, it causes them to do what is wrong.
Le cœur du sage est dans sa main droite; le cœur de l'impie est dans sa main gauche.
3 Even while foolish people walk along the road, they show that they do not have good sense; they show everyone that they are not wise.
Même quand l'insensé chemine dans sa voie, le cœur lui manque, et tout ce qu'il pense n'est que folie.
4 Do not quit working for a ruler when he is angry with you; if you remain calm, he will [probably] stop being angry.
Si le courroux de celui qui a le pouvoir s'élève contre toi, ne quitte point ta demeure; car le silence sera le meilleur remède à tes offenses.
5 There is something [else] that I have seen here on this earth, something that rulers sometimes do that is wrong/inappropriate:
Il est encore un mal que j'ai vu sous le soleil, sortant comme involontairement de la face de celui qui a le pouvoir.
6 They appoint foolish people to have important positions, while they appoint rich [people] to have unimportant positions.
L'insensé a été promu aux grandeurs, et les riches seront assis au dernier rang.
7 They allow slaves [to ride] on horses [like rich people usually do], [but] they force officials to walk [like slaves usually do].
J'ai vu des serviteurs à cheval, et des princes marcher à pied comme des esclaves.
8 [It is possible that] those who dig pits will fall into one of those pits. [It is possible that] someone who tears down a wall will be bitten by a snake [that is in that wall].
celui qui creuse une fosse y tombera, et celui qui détruit une haie, le serpent le mordra.
9 If you work in a quarry, [it is possible that] a stone [will fall on you and] injure you. [It is possible that] men who split logs will be injured by one of those logs.
Celui qui ramasse des pierres s'y blessera lui-même, et celui qui fend du bois se met en péril.
10 If your axe is not sharp [DOU], you will need to work harder [to cut down a tree], but by being wise, you will succeed.
Si son fer lui échappe, il en a le visage troublé; cependant il rassemble ses forces, mais alors sa sagesse ne profite pas à cet homme.
11 If a snake bites a man before he charms/tames it, his ability to charm snakes will not benefit him.
Un charmeur ne tire pas grand profit de son art, si un serpent le mord sans siffler.
12 Wise people say [MTY] what is sensible, and because of that, people honor them; but foolish people are destroyed by what they say [MTY].
La grâce découle de la bouche du sage, et les lèvres de l'insensé le font trébucher.
13 When foolish people start to talk, they say things that are foolish, and they end by saying things that are both wicked and foolish.
Il commence par les folies de sa langue; il finit par les méchancetés de ses lèvres.
14 They talk (too much/without ceasing). None of us knows what will happen in the future, or what will happen after we die.
Car l'insensé multiplie les paroles. L'homme ne sait ni le passé ni l'avenir; et ce qui viendra après lui, qui le lui prédira?
15 Foolish people become [so] exhausted by the work that they do that they are unable to find the road to their town/homes.
Le travail des insensés leur sera funeste, comme celui de l'homme qui ne sait pas le chemin pour aller à la ville.
16 Terrible things will happen to the people of a nation whose ruler is a foolish young man, and whose [other] leaders continually eat, all day long, every day.
Malheur à toi, ville dont le roi est jeune, et où les princes sont à table dès le matin!
17 [But] a nation will prosper if its ruler is from a (noble/well-educated) family, and if its [other] leaders feast [only] at the proper times, and [if they eat and drink only] to be strong, not to become drunk.
Heureuse es-tu, terre dont le roi sera fils d'hommes généreux, et où les princes mangeront au temps opportun, pour soutenir leurs forces, et n'auront pas à rougir de leurs excès.
18 Some men are very lazy [and do not repair the rafters], with the result that the rafters sag [and collapse]; and if they do not repair the roof, water will leak into the house [when it rains].
Le plancher du paresseux s'affaissera, et, à cause de l'inertie de ses mains, dans sa maison tombera la pluie goutte à goutte.
19 Eating food and drinking wine causes us to laugh and be happy, [but] we are able to enjoy those things only if we have money [to buy them].
On leur prépare du pain pour les réjouir, du vin et de l'huile pour égayer leur vie; et ainsi tout obéit à leur argent, mais pour leur honte.
20 Do not even think about cursing the king, or cursing rich [people, even] when you are [alone] in your bedroom, because [it is possible that] a little bird will hear [what you are saying], [and] tell those people what you said [about them].
Toutefois, même dans le secret de la conscience, ne maudis point le roi; dans ta chambre à coucher, ne maudis point le riche, car quelque oiseau du ciel rapporterait tes paroles, quelque insecte ailé publierait tes discours.
