Proverbes 26
1 Comme la neige en été, et la pluie pendant la moisson, ainsi la gloire ne convient pas à un insensé.
In the manner of snow in the summer, and rain at the harvest, so also is glory unfit for the foolish.
2 Comme le passereau qui s’échappe, comme l’hirondelle qui s’envole, ainsi la malédiction sans cause n’atteint pas.
Like a bird flying away to another place, and like a sparrow that hurries away freely, so also a curse uttered against someone without cause will pass away.
3 Le fouet est pour le cheval, le mors pour l’âne et la verge pour le dos des insensés.
A whip is for a horse, and a muzzle is for donkey, and a rod is for the back of the imprudent.
4 Ne réponds pas à l’insensé selon sa folie, de peur de lui ressembler toi-même.
Do not respond to the foolish according to his folly, lest you become like him.
5 Réponds à l’insensé selon sa folie, de peur qu’il ne se regarde comme sage.
Respond to the foolish according to his folly, lest he imagine himself to be wise.
6 Il se coupe les pieds, il boit l’iniquité, celui qui donne des messages à un insensé.
Whoever sends words by a foolish messenger has lame feet and drinks iniquity.
7 Otez les jambes au boiteux, est la sentence de la bouche de l’insensé.
In the manner of a lame man who has beautiful legs to no purpose, so also is a parable unfit for the mouth of the foolish.
8 C’est attacher une pierre à la fronde, que de rendre gloire à un insensé.
Just like one who casts a stone into the pile of Mercury, so also is he who gives honor to the foolish.
9 Comme une épine qui s’enfonce dans la main d’un homme ivre, ainsi est une sentence dans la bouche des insensés.
In the manner of a thorn, if it were to spring up from the hand of a drunkard, so also is a parable in the mouth of the foolish.
10 Comme un archer qui blesse tout le monde, ainsi est celui qui prend à gage les insensés et les passants.
Judgment determines cases. And whoever imposes silence on the foolish mitigates anger.
11 Comme un chien qui retourne à son vomissement, ainsi est un insensé qui revient à sa folie.
Like a dog that returns to his vomit, so also is the imprudent who repeats his foolishness.
12 Si tu vois un homme qui est sage à ses yeux, il faut plus espérer d’un insensé que de lui.
Have you seen a man who seems wise to himself? There will be greater hope held for the unwise than for him.
13 Le paresseux dit: « Il y a un lion sur la route, il y a un lion dans les rues. »
The lazy one says, “There is a lion along the way, and a lioness in the roads.”
14 La porte tourne sur ses gonds, ainsi le paresseux sur sa couche.
Just as a door turns upon its hinges, so also does the lazy one turn upon his bed.
15 Le paresseux met sa main dans le plat, et il a de la peine à la porter à la bouche.
The lazy one conceals his hand under his arms, and it is a labor for him to move it to his mouth.
16 Le paresseux est plus sage à ses yeux que sept conseillers prudents.
The lazy one seems wiser to himself than seven men speaking judgments.
17 Comme celui qui saisit un chien par les oreilles, tel est le passant qui s’échauffe dans la querelle d’autrui.
Just like one who takes hold of a dog by the ears, so also is he who crosses impatiently and meddles in the quarrels of another.
18 Comme un furieux qui lance des traits enflammés, des flèches et la mort,
Just as he is guilty who let loose the arrows and the lances unto death,
19 ainsi est un homme qui a trompé son prochain et qui dit: « Est-ce que je ne plaisantais pas. »
so also is the man who harms his friend by deceitfulness. And when he has been apprehended, he says, “I did it jokingly.”
20 Faute de bois, le feu s’éteint; éloignez le rapporteur, et la querelle s’apaise.
When the wood fails, the fire will be extinguished. And when the gossiper is taken away, conflicts will be quelled.
21 Le charbon donne un brasier et le bois du feu: ainsi l’homme querelleur irrite une discussion.
Just as charcoals are to burning coals, and wood is to fire, so also is an angry man who stirs up quarrels.
22 Les paroles du rapporteur sont comme des friandises; elles descendent jusqu’au fond des entrailles.
The words of a whisperer seem simple, but they penetrate to the innermost parts of the self.
23 Des scories d’argent appliquées sur un vase de terre, telles sont les lèvres brûlantes avec un cœur mauvais.
In the same manner as an earthen vessel, if it were adorned with impure silver, conceited lips are allied with a wicked heart.
24 Celui qui hait se déguise par ses lèvres, mais il met au dedans de lui la perfidie.
An enemy is known by his lips, though it is from his heart that he draws out deceit.
25 Quand il adoucit sa voix, ne te fies pas à lui, car il a sept abominations dans son cœur.
When he will have lowered his voice, do not believe him, for there are seven vices in his heart.
26 Il peut bien cacher sa haine sous la dissimulation, mais sa méchanceté se révélera dans l’assemblée.
Whoever covers hatred with deceit, his malice shall be revealed in the assembly.
27 Celui qui creuse une fosse y tombe, et la pierre revient sur celui qui la roule.
Whoever digs a pit will fall into it. And whoever rolls a stone, it will roll back to him.
28 La langue fausse hait ceux qu’elle blesse, et la bouche flatteuse cause la ruine.
A false tongue does not love truth. And a slippery mouth works ruin.
