Proverbs 21
1 Yahweh controls what kings do [MTY] [like] he controls how streams flow; he causes kings to do just what he wants them to do.
Comme sont les courants des eaux, ainsi est le cœur du roi dans la main du Seigneur: de quelque côté qu’il veut, il le fera tourner.
2 People always think that what they do is right, but Yahweh judges our (motives/reasons [for doing things)] [MTY].
Toute voie de l’homme lui paraît droite; mais le Seigneur pèse les cœurs.
3 Doing what is right and fair is more acceptable to Yahweh than [bringing] sacrifices [to him].
Faire miséricorde et justice plaît plus au Seigneur que des victimes.
4 Being proud and arrogant [DOU] is [like] a lamp [MTY] [that guides] wicked people; being proud and arrogant characterizes (wicked people’s whole behavior/everything that wicked people do).
L’exaltation des yeux vient de la dilatation du cœur: la lampe des impies est péché.
5 People who plan carefully will surely have plenty [of what they need]; those who act too quickly [to become rich] will become poor.
Les pensées d’un homme fort amènent toujours l’abondance; mais tout paresseux est toujours dans la détresse.
6 Money that people acquire [by cheating others] by lying [MTY] to them will soon disappear [like] a mist, and doing that will [soon] lead to their death.
Celui qui amasse des trésors avec une langue de mensonge est vain et sans cœur, et il s’engagera dans les lacs de la mort.
7 Wicked [people] refuse to do what is right/just, but they will be ruined because of the violent things [PRS] that they do.
Les rapines des impies les entraîneront à leur ruine, parce qu’ils n’ont pas voulu faire justice.
8 Guilty [people continually do what is evil; it is as though] [MET] they are walking on a crooked road; but righteous/innocent people [always] do what is right.
La voie perverse d’un homme est une voie étrangère; mais celui qui est pur, son œuvre est droite.
9 It is better to live in the corner of an attic/housetop [by yourself] than to live inside the house with a wife who is always nagging.
Mieux vaut demeurer sur l’angle d’un toit qu’avec une femme querelleuse et dans une maison commune.
10 Wicked [people] [SYN] are always wanting [to do what is] evil; they never act mercifully toward anyone.
L’âme de l’impie désire le mal; il n’aura pas pitié de son prochain.
11 When those who ridicule [others] are punished, [even] those who do not have good sense [see that, and] they become wise, and when those who are wise are taught, they become wiser.
L’homme contagieux étant puni, le simple sera plus sage; et s’il s’attache à un sage, il acquerra de la science.
12 [God], the one [who is completely] righteous, knows [what happens inside] the houses of wicked [people], and [he will cause] those people to be completely ruined/destroyed.
Le juste réfléchit à la maison de l’impie, pour retirer les impies du mal.
13 There are people who refuse to listen when poor people cry out [for help]; [but some day] they themselves will cry out [for help], and no one will hear them.
Celui qui ferme son oreille au cri du pauvre criera lui-même et ne sera pas exaucé.
14 When someone is angry [with you], if you secretly give him a gift, he will stop being angry.
Un présent secret éteint les colères; et un don glissé dans le sein, l’indignation la plus grande.
15 Good/Righteous [people] are happy when they [see others do] what is just/fair, but those who do what is evil are terrified [when they think about what may happen to them].
C’est une joie pour le juste que de faire justice; mais c’est l’effroi de ceux qui opèrent l’iniquité.
16 Those who stop behaving like those who have good sense behave will [soon] discover that they have gone to the place where dead people are.
L’homme qui s’égare de la voie de la doctrine demeurera dans l’assemblée des géants.
17 Those who spend their money to buy (things that give them pleasure/things that cause them to feel happy) will become poor; those who love [to spend money to buy] wine and nice/fancy food [MTY] will never become rich.
Celui qui aime les festins sera dans la détresse: celui qui aime le vin et la bonne chère ne s’enrichira pas.
18 Wicked [people] bring on themselves the sufferings that they were trying to cause righteous [people] to experience [DOU].
Pour le juste est livré l’impie, et pour les hommes droits l’homme inique.
19 It is better to live [alone] in a desert than [to live] with a wife who is [always] nagging and complaining.
Mieux vaut habiter dans une terre déserte qu’avec une femme querelleuse et colère.
20 Wise people have many valuable things in their houses, but foolish people [quickly] spend/waste [all their money].
Il y a un trésor précieux et de l’huile dans la demeure du juste; mais l’homme imprudent les dissipera.
21 Those who [always] try to act in a fair and kind way [toward others] will live [a long time] and be honored/respected.
Celui qui recherche la justice et la miséricorde trouvera la vie, la justice et la gloire.
22 A wise army commander [helps his troops] climb over a wall [to attack] a city that is defended by a strong army, with the result that they are able to (get over/destroy) the high walls that their enemies trusted [would protect them].
Le sage a escaladé la cité des forts, et a détruit la force où elle mettait sa confiance.
23 Those who are very careful about what they say [MTY] are [able to] avoid trouble.
Celui qui garde sa bouche et sa langue garde son âme des angoisses.
24 Those who make fun of [everything that is good] are proud and conceited [DOU]; they [always] act in an inconsiderate way [toward others].
L’homme superbe et arrogant est appelé ignorant, parce que dans la colère il agit avec orgueil.
25 Lazy people, who refuse to work, [will] die [of hunger] because they [SYN] do not earn [money to buy food].
Les désirs tuent le paresseux; car ses mains n’ont voulu rien faire.
26 All during the day [wicked people] desire to obtain things, but righteous [people] have plenty, [with the result that] they [are able to] give things generously to others.
Tout le jour il souhaite et il désire; mais le juste donnera et il ne cessera de donner.
27 [Yahweh] detests the sacrifices that wicked [people] offer [to him]; [but he] detests it even more when they [think that they will escape being punished for] their evil deeds because of the sacrifices that they bring.
Les hosties des impies sont abominables, parce qu’elles sont offertes comme fruit de leur crime.
28 Those who tell lies in court will be punished; no one stops/silences witnesses who say what is truthful/reliable.
Le témoin menteur périra; l’homme obéissant parlera victoire.
29 Wicked people pretend [that they know everything], but righteous people think carefully about [what will happen because of] what they do.
L’homme impie affermit effrontément son visage; mais celui qui est droit corrige sa voie.
30 [Thinking that we are] wise, and that we understand many things, and that we have good insight, does not help us if Yahweh is (acting against/not pleased with) us.
Il n’y a pas de sagesse, il n’y a pas de prudence, il n’y a pas de conseil contre le Seigneur.
31 We [can] get horses ready to fight in a battle, but Yahweh is the one who enables us to (win victories/defeat our enemies).
Le cheval est préparé pour le jour du combat; mais c’est le Seigneur qui donne la victoire.
