Proverbs 25
1 Here are more wise sayings/words that Solomon [wrote]. Some men who worked for Hezekiah, the king of Judah, copied them [from a scroll that Solomon had written].
Voici maintenant les sentences du roi Salomon qui n'ont point été classées et qu'ont transcrites les amis d'Ézéchias, roi de la Judée.
2 [We consider] God to be great because he (acts in mysterious ways/does things that we cannot understand); [we consider] kings to be great because they explain things.
La gloire de Dieu cèle sa parole; la gloire d'un roi apprécie toute chose.
3 [It is not possible for anyone to measure] how high the sky is or how deep the earth/ocean is; likewise [SIM], it is not possible for us to know [all] that kings are thinking.
Le ciel est haut, la mer est profonde; mais le cœur d'un roi ne peut être sondé.
4 [If workers] burn out the impure bits that are in silver, a man who makes things from silver can make something beautiful from the silver.
Bats de l'argent rouillé, et il sera tout à fait purifié.
5 [Similarly, if] wicked [advisors] are taken away from a king, his government will remain secure, because [the king will be able to] act justly.
Extermine les impies devant le roi, et son trône se maintiendra dans la justice.
6 When you stand in front of a king, do not try to (impress him/honor yourself) and do not (act like you are important/ask to sit where important people sit; )
Ne te vante pas en présence du roi; ne promets rien dans les demeures des princes.
7 it is better if someone tells you to sit closer [to the king] than for [someone to tell you], while the king is listening, to sit further away in order that someone who is more important [may sit closer to the king].
Car il vaut mieux que l'on te dise: Viens auprès de moi, que de t'humilier en présence d'un prince. Ne dis rien que tes yeux ne l'aient vu.
8 Do not quickly go to a court [to tell the judge about] something that you have seen, because another witness may later [say something that proves that you are wrong, and as a result] you will be disgraced/ashamed. If that happens, (what will you do?/you will not know what to do.) [RHQ]
Ne t'engage pas inopinément dans une querelle, de peur que tu ne t'en repentes à la fin. Si ton ami vient à te réprimander,
9 If you and someone else think differently about some matter, settle it between yourselves, and do not tell others any secret [that he has told you].
retire-toi dans le secret avec lui, et ne le méprise pas,
10 If others find out that you have told secrets, you will be ashamed, and from that time on, (you will have a bad reputation/people will think badly about you).
de peur que ton ami n'en vienne aux reproches; car alors ce seraient des querelles et des haines sans fin, et qui seraient pour toi comme la mort. La grâce et l'amitié nous délivrent de tout mal; conserve-les en toi, pour ne point devenir un sujet d'outrages, et garde tes voies dans la paix.
11 Something that is said that is [very] appropriate is [as delightful as seeing] [SIM] gold apples/ornaments in a silver bowl.
Parler raison vaut un collier de cornaline mêlé de grains d'or.
12 When a wise person rebukes/warns someone [SYN] who is willing to listen, that is [as valuable as] [SIM] a gold ring or a gold chain.
Une sage parole, dans une oreille docile, vaut un pendant d'oreille où l'or est entrelacé de cornalines de grand prix.
13 A messenger who (is reliable/tells someone else exactly what he was told to say) refreshes [the spirits of] his bosses who sent him like [SIM] (snow/cold water) refreshes [the ground] at the time that [people] harvest crops.
Le messager fidèle est, pour ceux qui l'envoient, aussi agréable que le serait la neige au temps de la moisson; il réjouit le cœur de ceux qui l'ont envoyé.
14 When someone promises to give a gift to us but never gives it, [that disappoints us] as much as [SIM] clouds and wind that come but do not bring any rain.
L'homme qui se glorifie d'un présent trompeur ne vaut pas mieux que des fléaux éclatants, tels que la tempête, les sombres nuées ou les torrents de pluie.
15 If someone keeps requesting a ruler long enough to do something, he will [often] agree to do it; similarly, by speaking [MTY] gently we can [often] convince [others that what we say is right] [IDM].
La patience fait la prospérité des rois, et une langue douce amollit jusqu'aux os.
16 If you find some honey, do not eat a lot of it, because doing that may cause you to vomit.
Si tu trouves du miel, n'en mange que ce qui te suffit, de peur que tu ne vomisses, si tu t'en es gorgé.
17 Do not go to your neighbor’s house very often [to talk with him]; if you go [very] often, he will get tired of listening to you and start to hate you.
Entre rarement chez ton ami, de peur que, rassasié de toi, il ne te prenne en haine.
18 To falsely accuse others [in court] is like [SIM] [attacking them with] a war-club or a sword or a sharp arrow.
L'homme qui porte contre son ami un faux témoignage ressemble à une massue, à un glaive, à une flèche acérée.
19 Depending on unreliable people when you have troubles is [as bad] as [trying to eat when] you have a bad/hurting tooth or [trying to walk when] your foot is crippled.
La dent du méchant et le pied du pervers seront détruits au jour de l'adversité.
20 Singing to someone who is depressed [just causes him to feel worse]; it is like [SIM] taking off clothes on a very cold day or like putting vinegar on a wound.
Comme le vinaigre ne vaut rien à un ulcère, ainsi la douleur du corps attriste le cœur; et comme le bois est rongé par la pourriture, et les vêtements par un ver, ainsi le cœur de l'homme est rongé par la tristesse.
21 If your enemies are hungry, give them something to eat; if they are thirsty, give them something to drink;
Si ton ennemi a faim, nourris-le; s'il a soif, donne-lui à boire.
22 doing that will cause them to feel ashamed [IDM], and Yahweh will reward you for doing that.
En agissant ainsi, tu amasseras sur sa tête des charbons ardents, et le Seigneur te comblera de biens.
23 When wind blows from the right direction, it will rain; [similarly] [SIM], if we gossip about others, that causes them to look at us very angrily.
L'aquilon, excite les nuées; un front sans pudeur irrite la langue.
24 It is better to live ([alone/by yourself]) in the corner of an attic/housetop than to live inside the house with a wife who is [always] nagging.
Mieux vaut demeurer dans un coin de la terrasse qu'avec une femme querelleuse, en une maison commune.
25 Receiving good news from a country far away refreshes our spirits like [SIM] cold water refreshes us when we are very thirsty.
Comme l'eau fraîche est douce à une âme altérée, ainsi est bonne la nouvelle arrivant d'une terre lointaine.
26 When a righteous/good person (gives in/yields) to wicked [people], that is [as bad] as [SIM] a spring that becomes muddied or a fountain that becomes polluted.
Si quelqu'un ferme un puits ou corrompt une source d'eau, c'est une chose funeste comme un juste tombant en présence de l'impie.
27 It is not good to eat too much honey, and trying to get people to praise you is also not good.
Il n'est pas bon de manger beaucoup de miel; mais il est juste d'honorer les sages discours.
28 People who (cannot control their tempers/quickly become very angry) [are unable to defend their behavior]; that is like [having] a city without a wall around it, [with the result that no one can defend it].
Comme une ville dont les remparts sont renversés, et qui n'est plus fortifiée, ainsi est un homme qui agit sans conseil.
