Proverbes 26
1 Comme la neige en été, et comme la pluie en moisson, donc l'honneur ne convient pas à un fou.
Just [like] [SIM] [it is not appropriate for] snow [to fall] in summer time, or rain [to fall] at harvest time, it is not appropriate to praise/honor foolish people.
2 Comme un moineau qui vole, comme une hirondelle, pour que la malédiction imméritée ne s'arrête pas.
Like [SIM] birds that fly by [and do not alight/land on anything], if someone curses you, it cannot hurt you if you (do not deserve them/have not done to him what is wrong).
3 Le fouet est pour le cheval, une bride pour l'âne, et un bâton pour le dos des imbéciles!
It is necessary to whip a horse and to put a bridle on a donkey [to force them to go where we want them to go], and similarly [SIM] [it is often necessary to strike] foolish people with a stick [to cause them to do what is right].
4 Ne réponds pas à un fou selon sa folie, de peur que vous ne soyez aussi comme lui.
If a foolish person asks a foolish question, [do not answer him], because [if you answer his question], you are just as foolish as he is.
5 Réponds à un fou selon sa folie, de peur qu'il ne soit sage à ses propres yeux.
If you give a foolish answer to someone who asks a foolish question, he will realize that he is (not very wise/foolish).
6 Celui qui envoie un message par la main d'un imbécile c'est couper les pieds et boire la violence.
Anyone who asks a foolish person to take a message to someone [is himself doing something as foolish as] cutting off his own feet or drinking poison.
7 Comme les jambes d'un boiteux qui pendent, c'est une parabole dans la bouche des fous.
A lame man cannot use his legs, and similarly [SIM] [it is useless for] a foolish person to speak [MTY] (proverbs/wise sayings).
8 Comme celui qui lie une pierre dans une fronde, ainsi est celui qui donne de l'honneur à un fou.
Tying a stone in a sling [so that it cannot be thrown at a target] is [as foolish as] [SIM] honoring a foolish person.
9 Comme un buisson d'épines qui va dans la main d'un ivrogne, c'est une parabole dans la bouche des fous.
If a drunk person waves some thorns/brambles with his hand, [he is not able to accomplish anything useful by doing that] (OR, [he does not feel it when a thorn sticks in his hand]); similarly, if foolish people speak [MTY] proverbs, [they do not help anyone who hears them].
10 Comme un archer qui blesse tout le monde, de même que celui qui engage un imbécile ou celui qui embauche ceux qui passent.
A man who shoots arrows [to try] to wound everybody who is near [is foolish]; similarly, anyone who hires a foolish person [who passes by is very foolish].
11 Comme un chien qui retourne à son vomissement, tout comme le fou qui répète sa folie.
A foolish person will foolishly do something stupid a second time; it is [like] [SIM] a dog returning to [eat] what it has vomited.
12 Vois-tu un homme sage à ses propres yeux? Il y a plus d'espoir pour un fou que pour lui.
[God] can help/bless foolish people more easily than he can help/bless people who are not wise [RHQ], but think that they are wise.
13 Le paresseux dit: « Il y a un lion sur la route! Un lion féroce erre dans les rues! »
Lazy people [just stay inside their houses and do nothing]; [they keep] saying “[I think] there is a lion in the street!”
14 Comme la porte tourne sur ses charnières, tout comme le paresseux sur son lit.
A door [continually] swings back and forth on its hinges [and does not go anywhere]; similarly [SIM], lazy people [just continually turn over] in their beds [and never do anything].
15 Le paresseux enfouit sa main dans le plat. Il est trop paresseux pour le ramener à sa bouche.
Some people are extremely lazy; they put their hand in a dish [to get some food] but do not [even] lift the food up to their mouths.
16 Le paresseux est plus sage à ses propres yeux. que sept hommes qui répondent avec discrétion.
Lazy people think that they are wiser than seven/several people who can answer [others’ questions] with good sense.
17 Comme celui qui attrape les oreilles d'un chien est celui qui passe et se mêle d'une querelle qui n'est pas la sienne.
Anyone who (meddles/involves himself) in a quarrel that does not concern him is [as foolish as] [SIM] someone who tries to grab a passing dog by its ears.
18 Comme un fou qui lance des torches, des flèches et la mort,
Crazy people who shoot burning arrows to kill people
19 est l'homme qui trompe son prochain et dit: « Je ne plaisante pas? »
are as foolish as those who deceive someone else and [then] say, “I was only joking.”
20 Par manque de bois, le feu s'éteint. Sans commérage, une querelle s'éteint.
If there is no [more] firewood [to put on the fire], the fire will go out; similarly [SIM], if there are no people who (gossip/tell people things that are not true), quarreling will end.
21 Comme des charbons pour des braises chaudes, et du bois pour le feu, Ainsi, un homme querelleur est capable d'allumer des querelles.
[Putting] charcoal on burning coals or [putting] wood on a fire [causes the fire to keep burning]; similarly, people who like to quarrel cause people to keep arguing.
22 Les paroles d'un murmureur sont comme des morceaux délicats, ils descendent dans les parties les plus profondes.
People [enjoy listening to what gossips say about others just like] [SIM] they enjoy tasty food; they [enjoy listening to what gossips tell them like] they enjoy swallowing tasty food.
23 Comme des débris d'argent sur un vase de terre sont les lèvres d'un fervent au cœur mauvais.
People who say nice things when they are thinking about doing evil things are like a nice glaze/covering on a [cheap] clay pot.
24 L'homme malin se déguise avec ses lèvres, mais il abrite le mal dans son cœur.
Those who hate someone and are saying [MTY] something very different from what they are thinking are hypocrites; they are only planning [to harm that person].
25 Quand son discours est charmant, ne le croyez pas, car il y a sept abominations dans son cœur.
When they say nice things, do not believe them, because in their inner beings are many things that [Yahweh] hates.
26 Sa malice peut être dissimulée par la tromperie, mais sa méchanceté sera exposée dans l'assemblée.
They try to deceive people to cause them to think that they do not hate [that person], but in a public meeting, the people will find out the evil things [that they have done].
27 Celui qui creuse une fosse y tombera. Celui qui roule une pierre, elle lui retombe dessus.
Those who dig a deep pit [for other people to fall into] will fall into it themselves; rocks will roll down on those who start to cause rocks to roll down [to crush someone].
28 Une langue mensongère déteste ceux qu'elle blesse; et une bouche flatteuse travaille la ruine.
Those [MTY] who tell lies to others [really] hate them, and those who deceive [others] ruin them.
