Proverbes 21
1 Le cœur du roi est dans la main de Yahvé comme les cours d'eau. Il le tourne où il veut.
Yahweh controls what kings do [MTY] [like] he controls how streams flow; he causes kings to do just what he wants them to do.
2 Toute voie de l'homme est droite à ses propres yeux, mais Yahvé pèse les cœurs.
People always think that what they do is right, but Yahweh judges our (motives/reasons [for doing things)] [MTY].
3 Faire preuve de droiture et de justice est plus acceptable pour Yahvé que le sacrifice.
Doing what is right and fair is more acceptable to Yahweh than [bringing] sacrifices [to him].
4 Un regard hautain et un cœur fier, la lampe des méchants, c'est le péché.
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).
5 Les plans des personnes diligentes mènent sûrement au profit; et quiconque est pressé se précipite dans la pauvreté.
People who plan carefully will surely have plenty [of what they need]; those who act too quickly [to become rich] will become poor.
6 Obtenir des trésors par une langue mensongère n'est qu'une vapeur éphémère pour ceux qui cherchent la mort.
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.
7 La violence des méchants les chassera, parce qu'ils refusent de faire ce qui est juste.
Wicked [people] refuse to do what is right/just, but they will be ruined because of the violent things [PRS] that they do.
8 Le chemin des coupables est tortueux, mais la conduite de l'innocent est droite.
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.
9 Il vaut mieux habiter à l'angle du toit. que de partager une maison avec une femme querelleuse.
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.
10 L'âme des méchants désire le mal; son voisin ne trouve aucune pitié à ses yeux.
Wicked [people] [SYN] are always wanting [to do what is] evil; they never act mercifully toward anyone.
11 Quand le moqueur est puni, le simple acquiert la sagesse. Lorsque le sage est instruit, il reçoit la connaissance.
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.
12 Le Juste considère la maison des méchants, et mène les méchants à la ruine.
[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.
13 Celui qui ferme ses oreilles au cri du pauvre, il criera aussi, mais ne sera pas entendu.
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.
14 Un cadeau en secret apaise la colère, et un pot-de-vin dans le manteau, une forte colère.
When someone is angry [with you], if you secretly give him a gift, he will stop being angry.
15 C'est une joie pour le juste de faire justice; mais c'est une destruction pour les ouvriers de l'iniquité.
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].
16 L'homme qui s'écarte du chemin de l'intelligence reposera dans l'assemblée des esprits défunts.
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.
17 Celui qui aime le plaisir sera un pauvre homme. Celui qui aime le vin et l'huile ne sera pas riche.
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.
18 Le méchant est la rançon du juste, les perfides pour les honnêtes.
Wicked [people] bring on themselves the sufferings that they were trying to cause righteous [people] to experience [DOU].
19 Il vaut mieux habiter dans une terre déserte, qu'avec une femme querelleuse et capricieuse.
It is better to live [alone] in a desert than [to live] with a wife who is [always] nagging and complaining.
20 Il y a des trésors précieux et de l'huile dans la demeure des sages, mais un homme insensé l'avale.
Wise people have many valuable things in their houses, but foolish people [quickly] spend/waste [all their money].
21 Celui qui suit la justice et la bonté trouve la vie, la justice et l'honneur.
Those who [always] try to act in a fair and kind way [toward others] will live [a long time] and be honored/respected.
22 Un sage balance la ville des puissants, et fait baisser la force de sa confiance.
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].
23 Celui qui garde sa bouche et sa langue protège son âme des problèmes.
Those who are very careful about what they say [MTY] are [able to] avoid trouble.
24 L'homme fier et arrogant - « Scoffer » est son nom - il travaille dans l'arrogance de l'orgueil.
Those who make fun of [everything that is good] are proud and conceited [DOU]; they [always] act in an inconsiderate way [toward others].
25 Le désir du paresseux le tue, car ses mains refusent de travailler.
Lazy people, who refuse to work, [will] die [of hunger] because they [SYN] do not earn [money to buy food].
26 Il y a ceux qui convoitent avec avidité tout le jour; mais les justes donnent et ne retiennent pas.
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.
27 Le sacrifice des méchants est une abomination- combien plus, quand il l'apporte avec un esprit méchant!
[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.
28 Le faux témoin périra. Un homme qui écoute parle à l'éternité.
Those who tell lies in court will be punished; no one stops/silences witnesses who say what is truthful/reliable.
29 L'homme méchant endurcit son visage; mais pour celui qui est droit, il établit ses voies.
Wicked people pretend [that they know everything], but righteous people think carefully about [what will happen because of] what they do.
30 Il n'y a ni sagesse ni compréhension ni de conseil contre Yahvé.
[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.
31 Le cheval est préparé pour le jour de la bataille; mais la victoire est avec Yahvé.
We [can] get horses ready to fight in a battle, but Yahweh is the one who enables us to (win victories/defeat our enemies).
