Proverbes 26
1 Il y a des rosées pendant la moisson, et des pluies pendant l'été; mais il n'est point de gloire pour l'insensé.
Just [like] [SIM] [it is not appropriate for] snow [to fall] in summer time, or rain [to fall] at harvest time, it is not appropriate to praise/honor foolish people.
2 Les oiseaux s'envolent et même les autruches: ainsi les vanités s'évanouissent sans arriver à rien.
Like [SIM] birds that fly by [and do not alight/land on anything], if someone curses you, it cannot hurt you if you (do not deserve them/have not done to him what is wrong).
3 Comme est le fouet au cheval, l'aiguillon à l'âne, ainsi est la verge à une nature déréglée.
It is necessary to whip a horse and to put a bridle on a donkey [to force them to go where we want them to go], and similarly [SIM] [it is often necessary to strike] foolish people with a stick [to cause them to do what is right].
4 Ne réponds point au fou selon sa folie, de peur que tu ne deviennes semblable à lui.
If a foolish person asks a foolish question, [do not answer him], because [if you answer his question], you are just as foolish as he is.
5 Mais réponds au fou selon sa folie, de peur qu'il ne semble sage à tes dépens.
If you give a foolish answer to someone who asks a foolish question, he will realize that he is (not very wise/foolish).
6 Celui qui envoie ses paroles par un messager imprudent expose ses propres voies à un affront.
Anyone who asks a foolish person to take a message to someone [is himself doing something as foolish as] cutting off his own feet or drinking poison.
7 Interdis aux insensés l'usage de leurs jambes, et empêche l'iniquité de sortir de leur bouche.
A lame man cannot use his legs, and similarly [SIM] [it is useless for] a foolish person to speak [MTY] (proverbs/wise sayings).
8 Celui qui attache la pierre à sa fronde ressemble à celui qui glorifie un insensé.
Tying a stone in a sling [so that it cannot be thrown at a target] is [as foolish as] [SIM] honoring a foolish person.
9 Des épines poussent dans la main d'un homme ivre, et la servitude dans la main des insensés.
If a drunk person waves some thorns/brambles with his hand, [he is not able to accomplish anything useful by doing that] (OR, [he does not feel it when a thorn sticks in his hand]); similarly, if foolish people speak [MTY] proverbs, [they do not help anyone who hears them].
10 La chair des insensés est pleine de trouble; car leurs passions se brisent dans leur choc.
A man who shoots arrows [to try] to wound everybody who is near [is foolish]; similarly, anyone who hires a foolish person [who passes by is very foolish].
11 Comme le chien, lorsqu'il revient à son vomissement, inspire le dégoût; ainsi est l'insensé qui, en sa malice, retourne à son péché. Il est une honte qui conduit au mal; il est une honte pleine de gloire et de grâce.
A foolish person will foolishly do something stupid a second time; it is [like] [SIM] a dog returning to [eat] what it has vomited.
12 J'ai vu un homme qui, lui-même, s'estimait sage; cependant l'insensé a plus de confiance que lui.
[God] can help/bless foolish people more easily than he can help/bless people who are not wise [RHQ], but think that they are wise.
13 Le paresseux que l'on envoie en voyage dit: Il y a un lion sur le chemin et des assassins dans les rues.
Lazy people [just stay inside their houses and do nothing]; [they keep] saying “[I think] there is a lion in the street!”
14 Comme la porte tourne sur ses gonds, ainsi fait le paresseux sur son lit.
A door [continually] swings back and forth on its hinges [and does not go anywhere]; similarly [SIM], lazy people [just continually turn over] in their beds [and never do anything].
15 Le paresseux, s'il a caché sa main sous son manteau, n'aura pas le courage de la porter à sa bouche.
Some people are extremely lazy; they put their hand in a dish [to get some food] but do not [even] lift the food up to their mouths.
16 Le paresseux se croit plus sage que celui qui rapporte une dépêche et en reçoit un salaire abondant.
Lazy people think that they are wiser than seven/several people who can answer [others’ questions] with good sense.
17 Se mettre en avant pour la querelle d'autrui, c'est comme prendre un chien par la queue.
Anyone who (meddles/involves himself) in a quarrel that does not concern him is [as foolish as] [SIM] someone who tries to grab a passing dog by its ears.
18 On lance parmi les hommes des paroles comme des traits; celui qu'elles atteignent le premier succombe.
Crazy people who shoot burning arrows to kill people
19 C'est ce qui arrive à tous ceux qui dressent des embûches à leurs amis; et si l'on s'en aperçoit, ils disent: Je l'ai fait en jouant.
are as foolish as those who deceive someone else and [then] say, “I was only joking.”
20 Le feu s'active, s'il y a beaucoup de bois; où il n'y a point de contradicteur, les querelles s'apaisent.
If there is no [more] firewood [to put on the fire], the fire will go out; similarly [SIM], if there are no people who (gossip/tell people things that are not true), quarreling will end.
21 Le charbon et le bois dans le foyer animent le feu; le médisant entretient le trouble des querelles.
[Putting] charcoal on burning coals or [putting] wood on a fire [causes the fire to keep burning]; similarly, people who like to quarrel cause people to keep arguing.
22 Les paroles du trompeur sont douces; mais elles blessent jusqu'au fond des entrailles.
People [enjoy listening to what gossips say about others just like] [SIM] they enjoy tasty food; they [enjoy listening to what gossips tell them like] they enjoy swallowing tasty food.
23 L'argent donné pour tromper ne vaut pas mieux qu'un coquillage. Des lèvres frivoles cachent un mauvais cœur.
People who say nice things when they are thinking about doing evil things are like a nice glaze/covering on a [cheap] clay pot.
24 Un ennemi que l'on voit pleurer promet beaucoup des lèvres; mais en son cœur il trame quelque fraude.
Those who hate someone and are saying [MTY] something very different from what they are thinking are hypocrites; they are only planning [to harm that person].
25 Si ton ennemi te prie à grands cris, ne te laisse pas persuader; car il a sept méchancetés dans l'âme.
When they say nice things, do not believe them, because in their inner beings are many things that [Yahweh] hates.
26 Celui qui dissimule sa haine cherche à tromper; mais il a beau cacher ses fautes, le monde le connaît bien.
They try to deceive people to cause them to think that they do not hate [that person], but in a public meeting, the people will find out the evil things [that they have done].
27 Celui qui creuse une fosse pour son prochain y tombera; celui qui roule une pierre la roule sur lui-même.
Those who dig a deep pit [for other people to fall into] will fall into it themselves; rocks will roll down on those who start to cause rocks to roll down [to crush someone].
28 Une langue trompeuse hait la vérité; une bouche indiscrète est une cause de ruines.
Those [MTY] who tell lies to others [really] hate them, and those who deceive [others] ruin them.
