Proverbes 21
1 Le cœur du roi est un courant d’eau dans la main de l’Éternel; Il l’incline 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 Toutes les voies de l’homme sont droites à ses yeux; Mais celui qui pèse les cœurs, c’est l’Éternel.
People always think that what they do is right, but Yahweh judges our (motives/reasons [for doing things)] [MTY].
3 La pratique de la justice et de l’équité, Voilà ce que l’Éternel préfère aux sacrifices.
Doing what is right and fair is more acceptable to Yahweh than [bringing] sacrifices [to him].
4 Des regards hautains et un cœur qui s’enfle, Cette lampe des méchants, ce 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 diligent ne mènent qu’à l’abondance, Mais celui qui agit avec précipitation n’arrive qu’à la disette.
People who plan carefully will surely have plenty [of what they need]; those who act too quickly [to become rich] will become poor.
6 Des trésors acquis par une langue mensongère Sont une vanité fugitive et l’avant-coureur de la mort.
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 emporte, Parce qu’ils refusent de faire ce qui est juste.
Wicked [people] refuse to do what is right/just, but they will be ruined because of the violent things [PRS] that they do.
8 Le coupable suit des voies détournées, Mais l’innocent agit avec droiture.
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 à l’angle d’un toit, Que de partager la demeure d’une femme querelleuse.
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 désire le mal; 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 Quand on châtie le moqueur, le sot devient sage; Et quand on instruit le sage, il accueille la science.
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 Le juste considère la maison du méchant; L’Éternel précipite les méchants dans le 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 Celui qui ferme son oreille au cri du pauvre Criera lui-même et n’aura point de réponse.
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 don fait en secret apaise la colère, Et un présent fait en cachette calme une fureur violente.
When someone is angry [with you], if you secretly give him a gift, he will stop being angry.
15 C’est une joie pour le juste de pratiquer la justice, Mais la ruine est pour ceux qui font le mal.
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’écarte du chemin de la sagesse Reposera dans l’assemblée des morts.
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 Celui qui aime la joie reste dans l’indigence; Celui qui aime le vin et l’huile ne s’enrichit pas.
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, Et le perfide 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 habiter dans une terre déserte, Qu’avec une femme querelleuse et irritable.
It is better to live [alone] in a desert than [to live] with a wife who is [always] nagging and complaining.
20 De précieux trésors et de l’huile sont dans la demeure du sage; Mais l’homme insensé les engloutit.
Wise people have many valuable things in their houses, but foolish people [quickly] spend/waste [all their money].
21 Celui qui poursuit la justice et la bonté Trouve la vie, la justice et la gloire.
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 monte dans la ville des héros, Et il abat la force qui lui donnait de l’assurance.
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 Celui qui veille sur sa bouche et sur sa langue Préserve son âme des angoisses.
Those who are very careful about what they say [MTY] are [able to] avoid trouble.
24 L’orgueilleux, le hautain, s’appelle un moqueur; Il agit avec la fureur de l’arrogance.
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, Parce que ses mains refusent de travailler;
Lazy people, who refuse to work, [will] die [of hunger] because they [SYN] do not earn [money to buy food].
26 Tout le jour il éprouve des désirs; Mais le juste donne sans parcimonie.
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 méchants est quelque chose d’abominable; Combien plus quand ils l’offrent avec des pensées criminelles!
[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 Le témoin menteur périra, Mais l’homme qui écoute parlera toujours.
Those who tell lies in court will be punished; no one stops/silences witnesses who say what is truthful/reliable.
29 Le méchant prend un air effronté, Mais l’homme droit affermit sa voie.
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 intelligence, Ni conseil, en face de l’Éternel.
[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 Le cheval est équipé pour le jour de la bataille, Mais la délivrance appartient à l’Éternel.
We [can] get horses ready to fight in a battle, but Yahweh is the one who enables us to (win victories/defeat our enemies).
