Proverbes 23
1 Lorsque tu t’attables pour manger avec un supérieur, considère bien qui tu as devant toi.
When you sit down to eat a meal with a (government official/king), think carefully about what (OR, who) is in front of you.
2 Tu t’enfonceras un couteau dans la gorge, si tu te comportes en glouton.
[Even] if you (have a big appetite/want to eat a lot of food), restrain yourself.
3 Ne convoite pas ses plats fins, car c’est une nourriture trompeuse.
Do not want to eat [a lot of] his fine food, because he may be trying to trick you.
4 Ne te fatigue pas pour t’enrichir renonce à ton savoir-faire.
Do not [cause yourself to become very tired by] working very hard to become rich; be wise and stop doing that,
5 Tes regards se seront à peine posés sur la fortune, qu’elle ne sera plus; car elle ne manquera pas de s’acquérir des ailes, tel un aigle qui s’envole dans les cieux.
because as soon as you look [MTY] at [all the money that you have acquired], it will be gone; it will [disappear as if it] suddenly grew wings [SIM] and flew up into the sky like an eagle.
6 Ne mange pas le pain d’un avare et ne convoite pas ses friandises.
[If] someone who is stingy [invites you to a meal], do not eat [a lot of] his fine food,
7 Car c’est comme un coup de poignard pour lui: c’est sa façon d’être. "Mange et bois", te dira-t-il, mais son cœur n’y est pas.
because he will be thinking about how much [the food cost that you are eating]. He [will] say to you, “Eat and drink all that you want!”, but that is not what he [will] really be thinking.
8 Le morceau de pain mangé par toi, tu le vomiras et tu auras dépensé en pure perte tes paroles aimables.
[When you realize what he is really thinking, it will cause you to want to] vomit what you have eaten; and your kind words [telling him that you are enjoying the meal] will be wasted.
9 Ne parle pas aux oreilles du fou, car il méprisera tes discours pleins de bon sens.
(Do not [waste time by]/It is useless) talking to foolish people; they will [only] despise the wise things that you say.
10 Ne recule pas les bornes antiques, et n’empiète pas sur le champ des orphelins;
Do not [steal someone’s property by] removing a boundary marker that has been there for a long time, and do not take for yourself the land that belongs to orphans,
11 car puissant est leur défenseur, il prendra en mains leur cause contre toi.
because Yahweh is strong, and he is [like] a relative that has the responsibility to defend them, he will [stand up in court and] argue for them and against you.
12 Ouvre ton cœur à la morale et tes oreilles aux paroles de raison.
Pay attention to what [your teachers] teach you, and try to learn from the wise things that they say.
13 N’Épargne pas les corrections au jeune homme; si tu le frappes avec la verge, il n’en mourra point.
Do not refuse to discipline your children; if you punish/spank them, it will not cause them to die,
and it may save them from [going to] the place where dead people are. (Sheol h7585)
15 Mon fils si ton cœur acquiert la sagesse, mon cœur à moi en aura de la joie;
My son/child, if you [SYN] become wise, I [SYN] will be very happy.
16 mes reins seront transportés d’aise, quand tes lèvres s’exprimeront avec rectitude.
I [SYN] will rejoice when I hear you [SYN] say what is right/wise.
17 Que ton cœur n’envie pas le sort des pécheurs, mais s’attache constamment à la crainte du Seigneur;
Do not envy sinful people; instead, revere Yahweh all of your life.
18 car assurément il y a un avenir, et ton espoir ne sera point anéanti.
[If you do that], you will be happy in the future, and [God] will certainly [do for you what you are] confidently expecting him to do.
19 Ecoute-moi bien, mon fils, et deviens sage; dirige ton cœur dans le droit chemin.
My son/child, listen carefully to me and become wise, and think about (all that you do/your behavior).
20 Ne sois point parmi les buveurs de vin, parmi les amis de la bonne chère;
Do not associate with those who drink a lot of (wine/strong drink) or with those who (are gluttons/eat more than they should),
21 car ivrogne et gourmand tombent dans la misère; le goût du sommeil réduit à se couvrir de haillons.
because drunkards and gluttons will become poor; and if all that you do is eat and sleep, you will [soon] (be wearing rags/not have any money to buy clothes).
22 Sois docile à ton père qui t’a donné le jour et ne dédaigne pas la vieillesse de ta mère.
Pay attention to what your father tells you, and (do not neglect/take care of) [LIT] your mother when she is old.
23 Achète la vérité et ne la revends pas, non plus que la sagesse, la morale et la raison.
Try to know/learn what is wise, and get good instruction and understanding; and do not throw those things away.
24 Le père d’un juste est au comble de la joie; qui a donné naissance à un sage est heureux.
Righteous [children] will cause their parents to be very happy; those whose children are wise are proud of them.
25 Que ton père et ta mère se réjouissent donc; qu’elle jubile, celle qui t’a enfanté!
[Do what will] cause your father to be glad and enable your mother [also] to be happy.
26 Mon fils, donne-moi ton cœur et aie les yeux ouverts sur ma voie.
My son, heed what I say to you, and allow what I do to be an example for you.
27 Car la courtisane est un abîme sans fond, l’étrangère, un puits étroit.
Prostitutes and immoral women [DOU] are [like] [MET] a deep pit or a well [that you may fall into].
28 Aussi bien, elle se met en embuscade comme un brigand; elle multiplie les trahisons parmi les hommes.
They wait [for you] like robbers [SIM], and they cause many men to (be unfaithful to/have sex with women who are not) their wives.
29 Pour qui les ah! pour qui les hélas! pour qui les disputes et pour qui les plaintes? pour qui les blessures gratuites et pour qui la vue trouble?
I will tell you [RHQ] what kind of people are always miserable and sad. I will tell you [RHQ] which people are always causing arguments/quarrels and who are always complaining. I will tell you [RHQ] who are injured in fights and whose eyes are always red/bloodshot.
30 Pour ceux qui s’attardent à boire, pour ceux qui vont déguster le vin parfumé.
[It is] those who drink a lot of wine, who try drinking other kinds of strong drinks.
31 Ne couve pas de tes regards le vin vermeil qui brille dans la coupe: il glisse doucement,
Do not look with pleasure at red wine that looks nice, and which sparkles when it is [poured out] into cups, and which tastes good as you drink it,
32 et finit par mordre comme un serpent, par piquer comme un aspic.
because the next morning [you will feel like] you have been bitten by a poisonous snake [DOU].
33 Alors tes yeux voient des choses étranges et ton cœur laisse échapper des propos incohérents.
You [SYN] will [think that you are] seeing strange/weird things, and you [SYN] will not be able to think clearly or speak clearly.
34 Tu te crois gisant au fond de la mer, couché au sommet d’un mât.
You will think you are in a ship that is tossing on the sea; you be like [SIM] someone who is trying to sleep when the ship is rolling from one side to the other.
35 "On m’a frappé diras-tu, et je n’ai pas eu de mal; on m’a roué de coups, et je ne l’ai pas senti. Quand donc me réveillerai-je? Je recommencerai, j’en demanderai encore!"
You will say, “[I think that] someone struck me, but he did not hurt me; he hit me, but I did not feel it. When will I (wake up/feel normal again) in order that I can drink some more wine?”
