Proverbes 21
1 Le cœur du roi est comme un ruisseau dans la main de l’Eternel; il le dirige partout où il veut.
Yahweh controls what kings do [MTY] [like] he controls how streams flow; he causes kings to do just what he wants them to do.
2 Aux yeux de l’homme, toutes ses voies paraissent droites, mais Dieu sonde les cœurs.
People always think that what they do is right, but Yahweh judges our (motives/reasons [for doing things)] [MTY].
3 Pratiquer la charité et la justice est plus agréable à Dieu que le sacrifice.
Doing what is right and fair is more acceptable to Yahweh than [bringing] sacrifices [to him].
4 Des yeux hautains, un cœur gonflé, tout l’éclat des méchants n’est que péché.
Being proud and arrogant [DOU] is [like] a lamp [MTY] [that guides] wicked people; being proud and arrogant characterizes (wicked people’s whole behavior/everything that wicked people do).
5 Les projets de l’homme actif tournent à son avantage; être impatient de s’enrichir, c’est aboutir au dénuement.
People who plan carefully will surely have plenty [of what they need]; those who act too quickly [to become rich] will become poor.
6 Les trésors acquis par une langue menteuse sont un souffle qui se dissipe, un piège mortel.
Money that people acquire [by cheating others] by lying [MTY] to them will soon disappear [like] a mist, and doing that will [soon] lead to their death.
7 La violence des méchants les entraîne eux-mêmes, car ils se refusent à pratiquer la justice.
Wicked [people] refuse to do what is right/just, but they will be ruined because of the violent things [PRS] that they do.
8 Perverse est la voie de l’homme immoral; l’œuvre de celui qui est pur est droite.
Guilty [people continually do what is evil; it is as though] [MET] they are walking on a crooked road; but righteous/innocent people [always] do what is right.
9 Mieux vaut habiter l’angle d’un toit que de partager sa demeure avec une femme acariâtre.
It is better to live in the corner of an attic/housetop [by yourself] than to live inside the house with a wife who is always nagging.
10 L’Âme du méchant aspire au mal; même son ami ne trouve pas grâce à ses yeux.
Wicked [people] [SYN] are always wanting [to do what is] evil; they never act mercifully toward anyone.
11 Punissez le railleur, le niais en sera assagi; instruisez le sage, il fera accueil au savoir.
When those who ridicule [others] are punished, [even] those who do not have good sense [see that, and] they become wise, and when those who are wise are taught, they become wiser.
12 Un Dieu juste observe la demeure du méchant et culbute les pervers pour leur malheur.
[God], the one [who is completely] righteous, knows [what happens inside] the houses of wicked [people], and [he will cause] those people to be completely ruined/destroyed.
13 Qui se bouche les oreilles devant les supplications du pauvre, criera à son tour et ne sera pas exaucé.
There are people who refuse to listen when poor people cry out [for help]; [but some day] they themselves will cry out [for help], and no one will hear them.
14 Un présent glissé furtivement fait tomber la colère: un cadeau offert en secret, le plus violent courroux.
When someone is angry [with you], if you secretly give him a gift, he will stop being angry.
15 Pratiquer la justice est une joie pour l’homme de bien et un supplice pour les artisans d’iniquité.
Good/Righteous [people] are happy when they [see others do] what is just/fair, but those who do what is evil are terrified [when they think about what may happen to them].
16 L’Homme qui s’égare hors de la voie de la raison ira reposer dans. la troupe des trépassés.
Those who stop behaving like those who have good sense behave will [soon] discover that they have gone to the place where dead people are.
17 Qui aime les plaisirs deviendra besogneux; qui a un faible pour le vin et l’huile ne fera pas fortune.
Those who spend their money to buy (things that give them pleasure/things that cause them to feel happy) will become poor; those who love [to spend money to buy] wine and nice/fancy food [MTY] will never become rich.
18 Le méchant sert de rançon pour le juste; le perfide sera pris pour les hommes droits.
Wicked [people] bring on themselves the sufferings that they were trying to cause righteous [people] to experience [DOU].
19 Mieux vaut demeurer dans un pays désert qu’avec une femme acariâtre et irascible.
It is better to live [alone] in a desert than [to live] with a wife who is [always] nagging and complaining.
20 Dans la maison du sage se conservent trésors précieux et huile; un homme sot engloutit tout.
Wise people have many valuable things in their houses, but foolish people [quickly] spend/waste [all their money].
21 Mettez-vous en quête de la justice et de la bonté: vous trouverez vie, salut et honneur.
Those who [always] try to act in a fair and kind way [toward others] will live [a long time] and be honored/respected.
22 Le sage escalade une ville pleine de guerriers et fait tomber la citadelle où elle mettait sa confiance.
A wise army commander [helps his troops] climb over a wall [to attack] a city that is defended by a strong army, with the result that they are able to (get over/destroy) the high walls that their enemies trusted [would protect them].
23 Mettre un frein à sa bouche et à sa langue, c’est se préserver de bien des tourments.
Those who are very careful about what they say [MTY] are [able to] avoid trouble.
24 Un insolent qui se pavane, son nom est "moqueur"; il agit avec une arrogance sans borne.
Those who make fun of [everything that is good] are proud and conceited [DOU]; they [always] act in an inconsiderate way [toward others].
25 Les désirs du paresseux le tuent, car ses mains se refusent à agir.
Lazy people, who refuse to work, [will] die [of hunger] because they [SYN] do not earn [money to buy food].
26 Sans cesse on conçoit de nouveaux désirs; mais le juste donne et ne compte pas.
All during the day [wicked people] desire to obtain things, but righteous [people] have plenty, [with the result that] they [are able to] give things generously to others.
27 Le sacrifice des impies est une abomination, d’autant plus qu’ils l’offrent avec une arrière-pensée.
[Yahweh] detests the sacrifices that wicked [people] offer [to him]; [but he] detests it even more when they [think that they will escape being punished for] their evil deeds because of the sacrifices that they bring.
28 Un témoin mensonger se perd; l’homme qui sait écouter aura toujours le droit de parler.
Those who tell lies in court will be punished; no one stops/silences witnesses who say what is truthful/reliable.
29 L’Homme pervers paie d’audace; l’homme de bien choisit avec soin sa direction.
Wicked people pretend [that they know everything], but righteous people think carefully about [what will happen because of] what they do.
30 Il n’y a ni sagesse, ni prudence, ni résolution qui vaillent contre l’Eternel.
[Thinking that we are] wise, and that we understand many things, and that we have good insight, does not help us if Yahweh is (acting against/not pleased with) us.
31 On équipe le cheval pour le jour du combat, mais c’est l’Eternel qui est maître de la victoire.
We [can] get horses ready to fight in a battle, but Yahweh is the one who enables us to (win victories/defeat our enemies).
