Proverbs 4
1 My children, listen to what I am teaching you. If you pay attention, you will understand what is wise.
Écoutez, mes fils, l’instruction d’un père, et soyez attentifs, pour apprendre l’intelligence;
2 What I am teaching you is good, so do not turn away from it.
car je vous donne une bonne doctrine: n’abandonnez pas mon enseignement.
3 When I was a young boy, loved by my mother,
Moi aussi j’ai été un fils pour mon père, un fils tendre et unique auprès de ma mère.
4 my father told me, “Remember my words; if you obey my commandments, you will live [a long time].
Il m’instruisait et il me disait: « Que ton cœur retienne mes paroles, observe mes préceptes, et tu vivras.
5 Obtain wisdom and understanding, and (do not abandon/hold fast to) [LIT] what I have taught you.
Acquiers la sagesse, acquiers l’intelligence; n’oublie pas les paroles de ma bouche, et ne t’en détourne pas.
6 Do not turn away from wisdom, because if you are wise, you will be protected [from all evil/danger]. If you love wisdom, wisdom [PRS] will guard you.
Ne l’abandonne pas, et elle te gardera; aime-la, et elle te conservera.
7 The most important thing that you can do is to get wisdom. Even if you obtain many other things, the best thing is to know what things are wise.
Voici le commencement de la sagesse: acquiers la sagesse; au prix de tout ce que tu possèdes, acquiers l’intelligence.
8 If you consider being wise to be very valuable, [people] will think very highly of you. If you cling to wisdom [like you would cling to a woman you love], [many people] will honor you.
Tiens-la en haute estime, et elle t’exaltera; elle fera ta gloire, si tu l’embrasses.
9 If you become wise, that will for you be [like] a beautiful wreath that is put {someone puts} on your head; it will be [like] a king’s glorious crown.” [That is what my father told me].
Elle mettra sur ta tête une couronne de grâce, elle t’ornera d’un magnifique diadème. »
10 [So now I say], “My son, heed what I say. If you do that, you will live a [good] long life.
Écoute, mon fils, et reçois mes paroles, et les années de ta vie se multiplieront.
11 I am teaching you the way to live wisely; I am showing you how to act justly [toward others].
Je t’enseigne la voie de la sagesse, je te conduis dans les sentiers de la droiture.
12 If you live wisely, when you decide to do something, you will succeed [LIT].
Si tu marches, tes pas ne seront point à l’étroit, et si tu cours, tu ne trébucheras pas.
13 Hold fast to the things I have taught you to do, and do not let them go. Guard them, because they [will be the source of a good] life.
Retiens l’instruction, ne l’abandonne pas; garde-la, car elle est ta vie.
14 Do not do the things that wicked people do; [do not behave like they do]; do not even walk on the roads that evil [people] walk on [MET].
N’entre pas dans le sentier des méchants, et ne marche pas dans la voie des hommes mauvais.
15 Stay away from those roads; turn aside and walk on other roads;
Évite-la, n’y passe point, détourne-t’en et passe.
16 because evil people cannot sleep if they have not done some evil deed [on that day]. They cannot rest if they have not harmed someone.
Car ils ne dorment pas, s’ils ne font le mal; leur sommeil s’enfuit s’ils ne font tomber personne.
17 What they eat and what they drink are things that they have obtained by acting wickedly and violently.”
Car ils mangent le pain du crime, ils boivent le vin de la violence.
18 The behavior of good/righteous [people] is like the light [that begins to shine] at dawn and then [continues to] shine brighter until the brightest time of day.
Le sentier des justes est comme la brillante lumière du matin, dont l’éclat va croissant jusqu’à ce que paraisse le jour.
19 [But] the behavior of wicked [people] is like deep/thick darkness. [Because it is very dark], they cannot see the things that cause them to stumble.
La voie des méchants est comme les ténèbres; ils n’aperçoivent pas ce qui les fera tomber.
20 My son, pay attention to what I am saying. Listen to my words carefully.
Mon fils, sois attentif à mes paroles, prête l’oreille à mes discours.
21 Keep them close to you; let them penetrate your inner being,
Qu’ils ne s’éloignent pas de tes yeux, garde-les au milieu de ton cœur.
22 because you will have [PRS] [a good] life and [good] health if you [search for them and] find them.
Car ils sont vie pour ceux qui les trouvent, santé pour tout leur corps.
23 It is very important that you be careful about what you think, because what you think controls [MET] the things that you do.
Garde ton cœur avant toute chose, car de lui jaillissent les sources de la vie.
24 Do not say anything that deceives [others] and never say what is not true.
Écarte de ta bouche les paroles tortueuses, et éloigne de tes lèvres la fausseté.
25 Keep looking straight ahead toward the events that are before you, and do not turn aside.
Que tes yeux regardent en face, et que tes paupières se dirigent devant toi.
26 Plan carefully where you will go and what you will do, and then stay on that road. Then what you do will be right.
Fais à tes pieds un chemin uni, et que toutes tes voies soient droites.
27 Do not leave the straight road by turning to the left or to the right. [Do only what is right] and keep yourself from [doing what is] evil.
N’incline ni à droite ni à gauche, et détourne ton pied du mal.
