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.
Les mouches mortes font puer [et] bouillonner les parfums du parfumeur; [et] un peu de folie [produit le même effet] à l'égard de celui qui est estimé pour sa sagesse, et pour sa gloire.
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 sage a le cœur à sa droite, mais le fou a le cœur à sa 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.
Et même quand le fou se met en chemin, le sens lui manque; et il dit de chacun: Il est fou.
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 l'esprit de celui qui domine s'élève contre toi, ne sors point de ta condition; car la douceur fait pardonner de grandes fautes.
5 There is something [else] that I have seen here on this earth, something that rulers sometimes do that is wrong/inappropriate:
Il y a un mal que j'ai vu sous le soleil, comme une erreur qui procède du Prince;
6 They appoint foolish people to have important positions, while they appoint rich [people] to have unimportant positions.
C'est que la folie est mise aux plus hauts lieux, et que les riches sont assis en un lieu bas.
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 les serviteurs à cheval, et les Seigneurs aller à pied, comme des serviteurs.
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 la fosse, y tombera; et celui qui coupe la 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 remue des pierres hors de leur place, en sera blessé; et celui qui fend du bois, en sera en danger.
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 le fer est émoussé, et qu'on n'en ait point fourbi la lame, il surmontera même la force; mais la sagesse est une adresse excellente.
11 If a snake bites a man before he charms/tames it, his ability to charm snakes will not benefit him.
Si le serpent mord sans faire du bruit, le médisant ne vaut pas mieux.
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].
Les paroles de la bouche du sage ne sont que grâce; mais les lèvres du fou le réduisent à néant.
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.
Le commencement des paroles de sa bouche est une folie; et les dernières paroles de sa bouche sont une mauvaise sottise.
14 They talk (too much/without ceasing). None of us knows what will happen in the future, or what will happen after we die.
Or le fou entasse beaucoup de paroles; [et toutefois] l'homme ne sait point ce qui arrivera; et qui est-ce qui lui déclarera ce qui sera après lui?
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 fous ne fait que les fatiguer, et [pas un d'eux] ne sait trouver le chemin pour arriver 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, terre, quand ton Roi est jeune, et quand tes Gouverneurs mangent 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.
Que tu es heureuse, ô terre! quand ton Roi est de race illustre, et que tes Gouverneurs mangent quand il en est temps, pour leur réfection, et non par débauche!
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].
A cause des mains paresseuses le plancher s'affaisse, et à cause des mains lâches, la maison a des gouttières.
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 apprête la viande pour se réjouir, et le vin réjouit les vivants; mais l'argent répond de tout.
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].
Ne dis point mal du Roi, non pas même dans ta pensée; ne dis point aussi mal du riche dans la chambre où tu couches; car les oiseaux des cieux en porteraient la voix, et ce qui vole en porterait les nouvelles.
