Proverbes 31
1 Paroles du roi Lemuel, l’oracle que sa mère lui enseigna:
These are sayings/messages that [God gave to] King Lemuel’s mother, and which his mother taught him:
2 Quoi, mon fils? et quoi, fils de mon ventre? et quoi, 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 point ta force aux femmes, ni tes voies à celles qui perdent 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 point aux rois, Lemuel, ce n’est point aux rois de boire du vin, ni aux grands [de dire]: Où sont les boissons fortes?
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 le statut, et ne fassent fléchir le jugement de tous les fils de l’affliction.
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 de la boisson forte à celui qui va périr, et du vin à ceux qui ont l’amertume dans le cœur:
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 se souvienne plus de ses peines.
If they drink, they will forget that they are poor, and they will not think about their distress/troubles any more.
8 Ouvre ta bouche pour le muet, pour la cause de tous les délaissés.
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 fais droit à l’affligé et au pauvre.
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 Une femme vertueuse! Qui la trouvera? Car son prix est bien au-delà 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 se confie en elle, et il ne manquera point de butin.
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 de la laine et du lin, et travaille de ses mains avec joie.
She finds wool and flax [in the market], and she enjoys spinning it [to make yarn].
14 Elle est comme les navires d’un marchand, elle amène 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 quand il est encore nuit, et elle donne la nourriture à sa maison, et la tâche à 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 pense à un champ, et elle l’acquiert; du 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 ceint ses reins de force, et fortifie ses bras.
She works very hard [IDM]; she makes her arms strong [by the work she does].
18 Elle éprouve que son trafic est bon; de nuit sa lampe ne s’éteint pas.
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 met la main à la quenouille, et ses doigts 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 étend sa main vers l’affligé, et tend ses mains au nécessiteux.
She generously helps [MTY] those who are poor and needy [DOU].
21 Elle ne craint pas la neige pour sa maison, car toute sa maison 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; le fin coton et la pourpre sont ses vêtements.
She makes bedspreads/quilts for the beds. She wears fine linen clothes that are dyed purple, [like queens wear].
23 Son mari est connu dans les portes quand il s’assied avec 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 chemises, et les vend; et elle livre des ceintures au marchand.
She makes clothes from linen cloth and sells them. She sells sashes to shop owners.
25 Elle est vêtue de force et de dignité, et elle se rit du jour 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, et la loi de la bonté est sur sa langue.
When she speaks, she says what is wise. When she gives instructions, she speaks [MTY] kindly (OR, faithfully).
27 Elle surveille les voies de sa maison, et ne mange pas le pain de paresse.
She watches over everything that is done in her household, and she [IDM] is never lazy.
28 Ses fils se lèvent et la disent bienheureuse, son mari [aussi], et il la loue:
Her children all together speak highly of her, and her husband also praises her.
29 Plusieurs filles ont agi vertueusement; mais toi, tu les surpasses toutes!
[He says to her], “There are many women who do admirable things, but you surpass them all!”
30 La grâce est trompeuse, et la beauté est vanité; la femme qui craint l’Éternel, c’est elle qui sera louée.
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, et qu’aux portes ses œuvres la louent.
Reward women who are like that, and praise them in public [MTY] for what they have done.
