Proverbes 18
1 Celui qui se tient à l’écart recherche ce qui lui plaît; il conteste contre toute sagesse.
Those who separate themselves [from other people] think [only] about those things that they are interested in; [if they would continually associate with] those who have good judgment/sense, they would constantly disagree/quarrel with them.
2 Le sot ne prend pas plaisir à l’intelligence, mais à ce que son cœur soit manifesté.
Foolish people do not want to understand [anything]; they only want to (express their [own] opinions/say what they think) [IDM].
3 Quand vient le méchant, le mépris vient aussi, et avec l’ignominie, l’opprobre.
Whenever people do wicked things, others will despise them; when people do things that cause themselves to no [longer] be honored, they will be disgraced [also].
4 Les paroles de la bouche d’un homme sont des eaux profondes, et la fontaine de la sagesse est un torrent qui coule.
What wise people say is [like] a deep ocean [that you can never get to the bottom of] [MET], and it [refreshes us like water from] a rapidly flowing stream.
5 Ce n’est pas bien d’avoir acception de la personne du méchant pour faire frustrer le juste dans le jugement.
It is not good [for a judge] to decide matters in favor of those who (are guilty/have done wicked things) and to not do what is just for those who (are innocent/have not done what is wrong).
6 Les lèvres du sot entrent en dispute, et sa bouche appelle les coups.
When foolish people [SYN] start arguments, [it is as though] they [SYN] are requesting/inviting someone to flog/whip them.
7 La bouche du sot est sa ruine, et ses lèvres sont un piège pour son âme.
What foolish people [MTY] say causes them to be ruined; their [own] words are [like] a trap [MET] [that catches/seizes] them.
8 Les paroles du rapporteur sont comme des friandises, et elles descendent jusqu’au-dedans des entrailles.
[People enjoy listening to] what gossips say like [SIM] [they enjoy] tasty food; they [accept what gossips tell them like] [MET] they swallow tasty food.
9 Celui-là aussi qui est lâche dans son ouvrage est frère du destructeur.
People who are lazy while they work are [just as bad] as [IDM] those who destroy things.
10 Le nom de l’Éternel est une forte tour; le juste y court et s’y trouve en une haute retraite.
Yahweh [MTY] is [like] a strong tower [MET]; righteous people [can] go to him and be safe [like they can run to a tower to be safe].
11 Les biens du riche sont sa ville forte, et comme une haute muraille, dans son imagination.
Rich people [are protected because they have] a lot of money [PRS] like a city is protected because it has a high wall surrounding it [SIM].
12 Avant la ruine le cœur de l’homme s’élève, et la débonnaireté va devant la gloire.
Proud people are on the road to being ruined, but being humble leads to being honored.
13 Répondre avant d’avoir entendu, c’est une folie et une confusion pour qui le fait.
Those who reply to someone before that person has finished speaking are foolish; doing that is disgraceful.
14 L’esprit d’un homme soutient son infirmité; mais l’esprit abattu, qui le supportera?
A desire to [continue to] live can sustain someone when he is sick; if he loses that desire, he (cannot endure it/will become very discouraged) when he is sick [RHQ].
15 Le cœur de l’homme intelligent acquiert la connaissance, et l’oreille des sages cherche la connaissance.
Intelligent people [are always wanting to] learn more; wise people [SYN] are not content with what they already know.
16 Le don d’un homme lui fait faire place et l’introduit devant les grands.
If you take a gift to an important person, that will open the way to allow you to talk to him.
17 Celui qui est le premier dans son procès est juste; son prochain vient, et l’examine.
The first person to present his case in court seems right, but when (someone else/his opponent) begins to ask him questions, [it may become clear that what he said was not true].
18 Le sort fait cesser les querelles et sépare les puissants.
If two influential/important people are arguing, [someone can] settle the matter by (casting lots/throwing marked stones to decide who is right).
19 Un frère offensé est plus [difficile] à gagner qu’une ville forte, et les querelles sont comme les verrous d’un palais.
If you help relatives, they will [protect you] like [SIM] a strong wall [protects a city], but if you quarrel with them, [that will separate you from them] like bars on a city gate [separate the city from those who want to enter it] [MET].
20 Le ventre d’un homme est rassasié du fruit de sa bouche; du revenu de ses lèvres il est rassasié.
People are happy when they hear others say [MTY] something that is good, [like] they are happy when they eat food that is good [MET].
21 La mort et la vie sont au pouvoir de la langue, et celui qui l’aime mangera de son fruit.
What you say can cause others to be killed or it can cause them to [continue to] live; [so] those who like [to talk a lot] must (accept the consequences/realize that what they say can cause much harm).
22 Celui qui a trouvé une femme a trouvé une bonne chose, et il a obtenu faveur de la part de l’Éternel.
If you marry a [good] woman, that is [like] finding a wonderful thing; [it shows that] Yahweh is pleased with you.
23 Le pauvre parle en supplications, mais le riche répond des choses dures.
[It is necessary for] poor [people] to speak politely when they request [rich people to do something for them], but rich [people] reply very impolitely when poor people speak to them.
24 L’homme qui a [beaucoup] de compagnons va se ruinant; mais il est tel ami plus attaché qu’un frère.
There are [some] people who [only] pretend to be friends [with us], but there are [some] friends who are more loyal than members of our families.
