Esdras 9
1 Lorsque ces choses se passèrent, les princes s'approchèrent de moi et dirent: « Le peuple d'Israël, les prêtres et les lévites ne se sont pas séparés des peuples du pays, en suivant leurs abominations, celles des Cananéens, des Héthiens, des Phéréziens, des Jébusiens, des Ammonites, des Moabites, des Égyptiens et des Amoréens.
Some time later, the Jewish leaders came to me and said, “Many Israelis, and even some priests and [other men who are] descendants of Levi [who work in the temple], have not kept themselves from [doing what] the other people who are living in this land [do]. They are practicing the detestable things that the Canaan, Heth, Periz, Jebus, Ammon, and Amor people-groups, and the people from Moab and Egypt do.
2 Car ils ont pris de leurs filles pour eux et pour leurs fils, de sorte que leur progéniture sainte s'est mêlée aux peuples des pays. Oui, la main des princes et des gouvernants a été la principale responsable de cette infamie. »
[Specifically, some] Israeli men have married women who are not Israelis, and they have allowed their sons to do the same thing. So we, God’s sacred people, have become (contaminated/polluted in God’s sight). And some of our leaders and officials have been the first/worst ones to do this.”
3 Lorsque j'entendis cela, je déchirai mon vêtement et ma robe, j'arrachai les cheveux de ma tête et de ma barbe, et je m'assis confus.
When I heard that, [I became very angry, with the result that] I tore my clothes and tore some hair from my head and from my beard. Then I sat down, very shocked/dismayed. [The Israelis knew that God had warned us that he would punish us if we disobeyed] what he had said to us [about marrying women who are not Israelis].
4 Alors tous ceux qui tremblaient devant les paroles du Dieu d'Israël s'assemblèrent auprès de moi, à cause de la faute des exilés; et je restai assis, confus, jusqu'à l'offrande du soir.
[So] many of the Israelis trembled/were afraid when they heard that some of those who had returned from Babylonia had sinned by disobeying the God of us Israelis like that. They came and sat with me until it was time to offer the evening sacrifices [of grain].
5 A l'offrande du soir, je me suis relevé de mon humiliation, avec mon vêtement et ma robe déchirés; je suis tombé à genoux, et j'ai étendu les mains vers Yahvé, mon Dieu;
When it was time to offer those sacrifices, I was still sitting there, wearing those torn clothes and mourning/sad. I stood up, and then I quickly prostrated myself on the ground. I lifted up my hands to Yahweh, my God,
6 et j'ai dit: « Mon Dieu, j'ai honte et je rougis de lever ma face vers toi, mon Dieu, car nos iniquités se sont multipliées au-dessus de notre tête, et notre culpabilité s'est élevée jusqu'aux cieux.
and this is what I prayed: “Yahweh my God, I am very ashamed to raise my head in front of you. The sins that we Israelis have committed [are very great; it is as though they] have risen up higher than our heads, and our guilt [for committing those sins, it is as though it] rises up to the heavens.
7 Depuis les jours de nos pères, nous avons été extrêmement coupables jusqu'à ce jour; et à cause de nos iniquités, nous, nos rois et nos prêtres, nous avons été livrés entre les mains des rois des pays, à l'épée, à la captivité, au pillage et à la confusion de visage, comme cela se passe aujourd'hui.
Since the time that our ancestors lived until now, we have been very guilty. That is the reason that we and our kings and our priests have been defeated by [the armies of] the kings of other lands. They killed [some of our people], they captured [some], they robbed [some], and they [caused them all to be] disgraced, just like we are today.
8 Or, pour un peu de temps, l'Éternel, notre Dieu, a fait grâce de nous laisser un reste pour nous échapper, et de nous donner un pieu dans son sanctuaire, afin que notre Dieu éclaire nos yeux, et qu'il nous ranime un peu dans notre servitude.
“But now, Yahweh God, you have been very kind to us. You have allowed some of us to (survive/continue to live). You have revived our spirits [IDM] and allowed us to escape from being slaves [in Babylonia] and to return safely [IDM] to live in this sacred place.
9 Car nous sommes des esclaves; mais notre Dieu ne nous a pas abandonnés dans notre servitude, et il nous a témoigné de la bonté aux yeux des rois de Perse, pour nous faire revivre, pour relever la maison de notre Dieu, pour en réparer les ruines, et pour nous donner une muraille en Juda et à Jérusalem.
We were slaves, but you did not abandon us. Instead, because you faithfully love us, you caused the kings of Persia to be very kind to us. You have allowed us to continue to live and to rebuild your temple which had been completely destroyed. You have allowed us to start to live safely here in Jerusalem and in [other towns in] Judah.
10 « Maintenant, notre Dieu, que dirons-nous après cela? Car nous avons abandonné tes commandements,
“Our God, what more can we say now [RHQ]? In spite of all that [you have done for us], we have disobeyed your commands.
11 que tu as prescrits par tes serviteurs les prophètes, en disant: Le pays dont vous allez prendre possession est un pays souillé par la souillure des peuples de ce pays, par leurs abominations, qui l'ont rempli d'un bout à l'autre de leurs souillures.
They are commands that you gave to your servants, the prophets, to tell to us. They said that the land that we would occupy was polluted because of the detestable/disgusting things that were done by the people who lived there. They said that in the land there were people from one end to the other who did immoral/shameful things.
12 Maintenant, ne donnez pas vos filles à leurs fils. Ne prenez pas leurs filles pour vos fils, et ne recherchez pas leur paix ou leur prospérité pour toujours, afin d'être forts et de manger les biens du pays, et de le laisser en héritage à vos enfants pour toujours.''
They said, ‘Do not allow your daughters to marry their sons! Do not allow your sons to marry their daughters! Do not even try to cause things to go well for those people-groups! If you obey these instructions, your nation will be strong, and you will enjoy the good crops that grow on the land, and the land will belong to your descendants forever.’
13 « Après tout ce qui nous est arrivé à cause de nos mauvaises actions et de notre grande culpabilité, puisque toi, notre Dieu, tu nous as punis moins que ne le méritaient nos iniquités, et que tu nous as donné un tel reste,
“You punished us because we were very guilty for having done wicked things. But you have not punished us as much as we deserve to be punished. [I say this because] you, our God, have allowed some of us to survive.
14 violerons-nous encore tes commandements, et nous associerons-nous aux peuples qui commettent ces abominations? Ne seras-tu pas irrité contre nous jusqu'à ce que tu nous aies consumés, de sorte qu'il n'y ait plus de reste, ni d'échappatoire?
However, some of us are again disobeying your commands, and we are marrying women who do those detestable things. If we continue to do that, surely you will get rid of all of us [RHQ], with the result that none of us will remain alive.
15 Yahvé, le Dieu d'Israël, tu es juste, car il nous reste un reste qui s'est échappé, comme c'est le cas aujourd'hui. Voici, nous sommes devant toi dans notre culpabilité, car personne ne peut se tenir devant toi à cause de cela. »
Yahweh, the God whom we Israelis [worship/belong to], you are fair/just. We are guilty. We are only a few people who have escaped [from Babylonia], but we pray to you, even though we do not deserve to stand in your presence.”
