Proverbes 14
1 La femme sage bâtit sa maison, Et la femme insensée la renverse de ses propres mains.
Wisdom is building her house, but the foolish woman is pulling it down with her hands.
2 Celui qui marche dans la droiture craint l’Éternel, Mais celui qui prend des voies tortueuses le méprise.
He who goes on his way in righteousness has before him the fear of the Lord; but he whose ways are twisted gives him no honour.
3 Dans la bouche de l’insensé est une verge pour son orgueil, Mais les lèvres des sages les gardent.
In the mouth of the foolish man is a rod for his back, but the lips of the wise will keep them safe.
4 S’il n’y a pas de bœufs, la crèche est vide; C’est à la vigueur des bœufs qu’on doit l’abondance des revenus.
Where there are no oxen, their food-place is clean; but much increase comes through the strength of the ox.
5 Un témoin fidèle ne ment pas, Mais un faux témoin dit des mensonges.
A true witness does not say what is false, but a false witness is breathing out deceit.
6 Le moqueur cherche la sagesse et ne la trouve pas, Mais pour l’homme intelligent la science est chose facile.
The hater of authority, searching for wisdom, does not get it; but knowledge comes readily to the open-minded man.
7 Éloigne-toi de l’insensé; Ce n’est pas sur ses lèvres que tu aperçois la science.
Go away from the foolish man, for you will not see the lips of knowledge.
8 La sagesse de l’homme prudent, c’est l’intelligence de sa voie; La folie des insensés, c’est la tromperie.
The wisdom of the man of good sense makes his way clear; but the unwise behaviour of the foolish is deceit.
9 Les insensés se font un jeu du péché, Mais parmi les hommes droits se trouve la bienveillance.
In the tents of those hating authority there is error, but in the house of the upright man there is grace.
10 Le cœur connaît ses propres chagrins, Et un étranger ne saurait partager sa joie.
No one has knowledge of a man's grief but himself; and a strange person has no part in his joy.
11 La maison des méchants sera détruite, Mais la tente des hommes droits fleurira.
The house of the sinner will be overturned, but the tent of the upright man will do well.
12 Telle voie paraît droite à un homme, Mais son issue, c’est la voie de la mort.
There is a way which seems straight before a man, but its end is the ways of death.
13 Au milieu même du rire le cœur peut être affligé, Et la joie peut finir par la détresse.
Even while laughing the heart may be sad; and after joy comes sorrow.
14 Celui dont le cœur s’égare se rassasie de ses voies, Et l’homme de bien se rassasie de ce qui est en lui.
He whose heart is turned away will have the reward of his ways in full measure; but a good man will have the reward of his doings.
15 L’homme simple croit tout ce qu’on dit, Mais l’homme prudent est attentif à ses pas.
The simple man has faith in every word, but the man of good sense gives thought to his footsteps.
16 Le sage a de la retenue et se détourne du mal, Mais l’insensé est arrogant et plein de sécurité.
The wise man, fearing, keeps himself from evil; but the foolish man goes on in his pride, with no thought of danger.
17 Celui qui est prompt à la colère fait des sottises, Et l’homme plein de malice s’attire la haine.
He who is quickly angry will do what is foolish, but the man of good sense will have quiet.
18 Les simples ont en partage la folie, Et les hommes prudents se font de la science une couronne.
Foolish behaviour is the heritage of the simple, but men of good sense are crowned with knowledge.
19 Les mauvais s’inclinent devant les bons, Et les méchants aux portes du juste.
The knees of the evil are bent before the good; and sinners go down in the dust at the doors of the upright.
20 Le pauvre est odieux même à son ami, Mais les amis du riche sont nombreux.
The poor man is hated even by his neighbour, but the man of wealth has numbers of friends.
21 Celui qui méprise son prochain commet un péché, Mais heureux celui qui a pitié des misérables!
He who has no respect for his neighbour is a sinner, but he who has pity for the poor is happy.
22 Ceux qui méditent le mal ne s’égarent-ils pas? Mais ceux qui méditent le bien agissent avec bonté et fidélité.
Will not the designers of evil come into error? But mercy and good faith are for the designers of good.
23 Tout travail procure l’abondance, Mais les paroles en l’air ne mènent qu’à la disette.
In all hard work there is profit, but talk only makes a man poor.
24 La richesse est une couronne pour les sages; La folie des insensés est toujours de la folie.
Their wisdom is a crown to the wise, but their foolish behaviour is round the head of the unwise.
25 Le témoin véridique délivre des âmes, Mais le trompeur dit des mensonges.
A true witness is the saviour of lives; but he who says false things is a cause of deceit.
26 Celui qui craint l’Éternel possède un appui ferme, Et ses enfants ont un refuge auprès de lui.
For him in whose heart is the fear of the Lord there is strong hope: and his children will have a safe place.
27 La crainte de l’Éternel est une source de vie, Pour détourner des pièges de la mort.
The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, by which one may be turned from the nets of death.
28 Quand le peuple est nombreux, c’est la gloire d’un roi; Quand le peuple manque, c’est la ruine du prince.
A king's glory is in the number of his people: and for need of people a ruler may come to destruction.
29 Celui qui est lent à la colère a une grande intelligence, Mais celui qui est prompt à s’emporter proclame sa folie.
He who is slow to be angry has great good sense; but he whose spirit is over-quick gives support to what is foolish.
30 Un cœur calme est la vie du corps, Mais l’envie est la carie des os.
A quiet mind is the life of the body, but envy is a disease in the bones.
31 Opprimer le pauvre, c’est outrager celui qui l’a fait; Mais avoir pitié de l’indigent, c’est l’honorer.
He who is hard on the poor puts shame on his Maker; but he who has mercy on those who are in need gives him honour.
32 Le méchant est renversé par sa méchanceté, Mais le juste trouve un refuge même en sa mort.
The sinner is overturned in his evil-doing, but the upright man has hope in his righteousness.
33 Dans un cœur intelligent repose la sagesse, Mais au milieu des insensés elle se montre à découvert.
Wisdom has her resting-place in the mind of the wise, but she is not seen among the foolish.
34 La justice élève une nation, Mais le péché est la honte des peuples.
By righteousness a nation is lifted up, but sin is a cause of shame to the peoples.
35 La faveur du roi est pour le serviteur prudent, Et sa colère pour celui qui fait honte.
The king has pleasure in a servant who does wisely, but his wrath is against him who is a cause of shame.
