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 corrompent et font fermenter l'huile du parfumeur; ainsi fait un peu de folie 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 l'insensé marche dans le chemin, le sens lui manque; et il dit de chacun: Voilà un insensé.
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 quitte point ta place; car la douceur prévient 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 des riches sont assis dans l'abaissement.
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 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 une fosse y tombera, et un serpent mordra celui qui fait brèche à une clôture.
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 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'il n'en ait pas aiguisé le tranchant, il devra redoubler d'efforts; mais la sagesse a l'avantage de donner de l'adresse.
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, quand il n'est pas charmé, 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 sont pleines de grâce; mais les lèvres du fou l'engloutissent.
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 la fin de son discours une pernicieuse 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.
L'insensé multiplie les paroles; toutefois l'homme ne sait ce qui arrivera; et qui lui annoncera 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 insensés les lasse, parce qu'ils ne savent pas 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, pays, dont le roi est un enfant, et dont les princes 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.
Heureux es-tu, pays, dont le roi est de race illustre, et dont les princes mangent quand il est temps, pour réparer leurs forces, et non pour se livrer à la boisson!
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 fait des repas pour se réjouir, et le vin égaie la vie, et l'argent répond à 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 de mal du roi, pas même dans ta pensée; et ne dis point de mal du riche dans la chambre où tu couches; car l'oiseau des cieux emporterait ta voix, et ce qui a des ailes révélerait tes paroles.
