Proverbes 31
1 Les paroles du roi Lémuel - la révélation que sa mère lui a enseignée:
These are sayings/messages that [God gave to] King Lemuel’s mother, and which his mother taught him:
2 « Oh, mon fils! Oh, fils de mes entrailles! Oh, fils de mes vœux!
You are my son; I gave birth to you [RHQ]; you are the son that [God gave me] in answer to my prayers.
3 Ne donne pas ta force aux femmes, ni vos voies à celles qui détruisent les rois.
Do not exhaust your energy [having sex] [EUP] with women [to whom you are not married], with women who ruin kings [by having sex with them].
4 Ce n'est pas pour les rois, Lemuel, ce n'est pas aux rois de boire du vin, ni pour les princes de dire: « Où est la boisson forte?
Lemuel, kings should not be [constantly] drinking wine or [greatly] desire [to drink other] strong/alcoholic drinks.
5 de peur qu'ils ne boivent et n'oublient la loi, et pervertissent la justice due à celui qui est affligé.
If they do that, they forget the laws [that they have made], and they do not do what is right for poor/afflicted [people].
6 Donnez une boisson forte à celui qui est prêt à périr, et du vin pour les âmes amères.
Give strong/alcoholic drinks to those who are dying and to those who are (greatly distressed/suffering very much).
7 Qu'il boive, et qu'il oublie sa pauvreté, et ne plus se souvenir de sa misère.
If they drink, they will forget that they are poor, and they will not think about their distress/troubles any more.
8 Ouvrez votre bouche pour le muet, pour la cause de tous ceux qui sont abandonnés.
Speak [MTY] to defend people who are unable to defend themselves; speak to encourage others to do what is right for those who are helpless.
9 Ouvre ta bouche, juge avec justice, et rendre justice aux pauvres et aux nécessiteux. »
Speak [MTY] (on their behalf/to help them) and try to cause judges to decide matters fairly/justly; try to cause others to do for poor and needy [people] what should be done for them.
10 Qui peut trouver une femme digne de ce nom? Car sa valeur est bien supérieure à celle des rubis.
It is very difficult [for a man] to [RHQ] find a wife who is good and who is capable [of doing many things]. [Any woman who is like that] is worth more than jewels.
11 Le cœur de son mari a confiance en elle. Il ne manquera pas de gain.
Her husband completely trusts her, and [because of her], he has everything that he needs [LIT].
12 Elle lui fait du bien, et non du mal, tous les jours de sa vie.
She never does anything that would harm him; she does good things for him all the days of her life.
13 Elle cherche la laine et le lin, et travaille avec ardeur avec ses mains.
She finds wool and flax [in the market], and she enjoys spinning it [to make yarn].
14 Elle est comme les navires marchands. Elle apporte son pain de loin.
She is like [SIM] a ship that brings from far away goods/merchandise to sell, [because] she buys food that comes from far away.
15 Elle se lève aussi alors qu'il fait encore nuit, donne de la nourriture à son foyer, et des portions pour ses servantes.
She gets up before dawn to prepare food for her family. [Then] she plans the work that her servant girls will do on that day.
16 Elle considère un champ, et l'achète. Avec le fruit de ses mains, elle plante une vigne.
She [goes out and] looks at a field [that someone wants to sell]; and [if it is a good field], she buys it. She [buys] grapevines [MTY] with the money that she has earned, [and then] she plants them.
17 Elle arme sa taille avec force, et rend ses bras forts.
She works very hard [IDM]; she makes her arms strong [by the work she does].
18 Elle perçoit que sa marchandise est rentable. Sa lampe ne s'éteint pas la nuit.
She knows when she is getting a good profit from her business. [When it is necessary], she works [MTY] until it is late at night.
19 Elle pose ses mains sur la quenouille, et ses mains tiennent le fuseau.
She holds the (spindle/rod which twists the thread that she is making), and [then] she spins the thread [MTY] [that she will use].
20 Elle ouvre ses bras aux pauvres; oui, elle tend les mains aux nécessiteux.
She generously helps [MTY] those who are poor and needy [DOU].
21 Elle n'a pas peur de la neige pour sa maison, car toute sa famille est vêtue d'écarlate.
She is not worried that [the people in her house will be cold in] the winter, because [she has made] warm clothes for all of them.
22 Elle se fait des tapis de tapisserie. Ses vêtements sont en lin fin et de couleur violette.
She makes bedspreads/quilts for the beds. She wears fine linen clothes that are dyed purple, [like queens wear].
23 Son mari est respecté dans les portes, quand il s'assiéra parmi les anciens du pays.
Her husband is [well] known by the important people of the town; he sits with the [other] town leaders in the meetings of the town council.
24 Elle fait des vêtements de lin et les vend, et livre les coussins au marchand.
She makes clothes from linen cloth and sells them. She sells sashes to shop owners.
25 La force et la dignité sont ses vêtements. Elle se moque du temps à venir.
She is strong in her character and respected/dignified, and she (laughs at/is not afraid of) [what will happen in] the future.
26 Elle ouvre sa bouche avec sagesse. L'instruction aimable est sur sa langue.
When she speaks, she says what is wise. When she gives instructions, she speaks [MTY] kindly (OR, faithfully).
27 Elle s'occupe bien des affaires de sa famille, et ne mange pas le pain de l'oisiveté.
She watches over everything that is done in her household, and she [IDM] is never lazy.
28 Ses enfants se lèvent et la qualifient de bienheureuse. Son mari fait également son éloge:
Her children all together speak highly of her, and her husband also praises her.
29 « Beaucoup de femmes font des choses nobles, mais vous les surpassez tous. »
[He says to her], “There are many women who do admirable things, but you surpass them all!”
30 Le charme est trompeur, et la beauté est vaine; mais une femme qui craint Yahvé, on la louera.
Some women who are attractive [are not really good women], [but] they can deceive us [regarding what they are really like]. Furthermore, women’s beauty does not last; but women who revere Yahweh should be honored.
31 Donnez-lui du fruit de ses mains! Que ses œuvres la louent dans les portes!
Reward women who are like that, and praise them in public [MTY] for what they have done.
