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 encore des Proverbes de Salomon, recueillis par les gens d’Ézéchias, roi de Juda.
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, c’est de cacher les choses; La gloire des rois, c’est de sonder les choses.
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.
Les cieux dans leur hauteur, la terre dans sa profondeur, Et le cœur des rois, sont impénétrables.
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.
Ote de l’argent les scories, Et il en sortira un vase pour le fondeur.
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.
Ote le méchant de devant le roi, Et son trône s’affermira par 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 t’élève pas devant le roi, Et ne prends pas la place des grands;
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 qu’on te dise: Monte-ici! Que si l’on t’abaisse devant le prince que tes yeux voient.
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 te hâte pas d’entrer en contestation, De peur qu’à la fin tu ne saches que faire, Lorsque ton prochain t’aura outragé.
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].
Défends ta cause contre ton prochain, Mais ne révèle pas le secret d’un autre,
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 qu’en l’apprenant il ne te couvre de honte, Et que ta mauvaise renommée ne s’efface pas.
11 Something that is said that is [very] appropriate is [as delightful as seeing] [SIM] gold apples/ornaments in a silver bowl.
Comme des pommes d’or sur des ciselures d’argent, Ainsi est une parole dite à propos.
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.
Comme un anneau d’or et une parure d’or fin, Ainsi pour une oreille docile est le sage qui réprimande.
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.
Comme la fraîcheur de la neige au temps de la moisson, Ainsi est un messager fidèle pour celui qui l’envoie; Il restaure l’âme de son maître.
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.
Comme des nuages et du vent sans pluie, Ainsi est un homme se glorifiant à tort de ses libéralités.
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].
Par la lenteur à la colère on fléchit un prince, Et une langue douce peut briser des 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 n’en sois rassasié et que tu ne le vomisses.
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.
Mets rarement le pied dans la maison de ton prochain, De peur qu’il ne soit rassasié de toi et qu’il ne te haïsse.
18 To falsely accuse others [in court] is like [SIM] [attacking them with] a war-club or a sword or a sharp arrow.
Comme une massue, une épée et une flèche aiguë, Ainsi est un homme qui porte un faux témoignage contre son prochain.
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.
Comme une dent cassée et un pied qui chancelle, Ainsi est la confiance en un perfide au jour de la détresse.
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.
Oter son vêtement dans un jour froid, Répandre du vinaigre sur du nitre, C’est dire des chansons à un cœur attristé.
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, donne-lui du pain à manger; S’il a soif, donne-lui de l’eau à boire.
22 doing that will cause them to feel ashamed [IDM], and Yahweh will reward you for doing that.
Car ce sont des charbons ardents que tu amasses sur sa tête, Et l’Éternel te récompensera.
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.
Le vent du nord enfante la pluie, Et la langue mystérieuse un visage irrité.
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 habiter à l’angle d’un toit, Que de partager la demeure d’une femme querelleuse.
25 Receiving good news from a country far away refreshes our spirits like [SIM] cold water refreshes us when we are very thirsty.
Comme de l’eau fraîche pour une personne fatiguée, Ainsi est une bonne nouvelle venant 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.
Comme une fontaine troublée et une source corrompue, Ainsi est le juste qui chancelle devant le méchant.
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 rechercher la gloire des autres est un honneur.
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 forcée et sans murailles, Ainsi est l’homme qui n’est pas maître de lui-même.
