Proverbes 21
1 Le cœur du Roi est en la main de l'Eternel [comme] des ruisseaux d'eaux, il l'incline à tout ce qu'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 Chaque voie de l'homme lui semble droite; mais l'Eternel pèse les cœurs.
People always think that what they do is right, but Yahweh judges our (motives/reasons [for doing things)] [MTY].
3 Faire ce qui est juste et droit, est une chose que l'Eternel aime mieux que des sacrifices.
Doing what is right and fair is more acceptable to Yahweh than [bringing] sacrifices [to him].
4 Les yeux élevés, et le cœur enflé, est le labourage des méchants, qui 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 pensées d'un homme diligent le conduisent à l'abondance, mais tout étourdi tombe dans l'indigence.
People who plan carefully will surely have plenty [of what they need]; those who act too quickly [to become rich] will become poor.
6 Travailler à avoir des trésors par une langue trompeuse, c'est une vanité poussée au loin par ceux qui cherchent 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 Le fourragement des méchants les abattra, parce qu'ils auront refusé de faire ce qui est droit.
Wicked [people] refuse to do what is right/just, but they will be ruined because of the violent things [PRS] that they do.
8 Quand un homme marche de travers, il s'égare; mais 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 Il vaut mieux habiter au coin d'un toit, que dans une maison spacieuse avec 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 souhaite le mal, et son prochain ne trouve point de grâce devant lui.
Wicked [people] [SYN] are always wanting [to do what is] evil; they never act mercifully toward anyone.
11 Quand on punit le moqueur, le niais devient sage; et quand on instruit le sage, il reçoit 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 prudemment la maison du méchant, quand les méchants sont renversés dans la misère.
[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 bouche son oreille pour n'ouïr point le cri du chétif, criera aussi lui-même, et on ne lui répondra point.
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 Le don fait en secret apaise la colère, et le présent mis au sein apaise une véhémente fureur.
When someone is angry [with you], if you secretly give him a gift, he will stop being angry.
15 C'est une joie au juste de faire ce qui est droit; mais c'est une frayeur aux ouvriers 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 se détourne du chemin de la prudence aura sa demeure dans l'assemblée 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 L'homme qui aime à rire, sera indigent; et celui qui aime le vin et la graisse, ne s'enrichira point.
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 sera l'échange du juste; et le perfide, au lieu des hommes intègres.
Wicked [people] bring on themselves the sufferings that they were trying to cause righteous [people] to experience [DOU].
19 Il vaut mieux habiter dans une terre déserte, qu'avec une femme querelleuse et qui se dépite.
It is better to live [alone] in a desert than [to live] with a wife who is [always] nagging and complaining.
20 La provision désirable, et l'huile, est dans la demeure du sage; mais l'homme fou l'engloutit.
Wise people have many valuable things in their houses, but foolish people [quickly] spend/waste [all their money].
21 Celui qui s'adonne soigneusement à la justice, et à la miséricorde, trouvera 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 entre dans la ville des forts, et rabaisse la force de 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 Celui qui garde sa bouche et sa langue, garde son âme de détresse.
Those who are very careful about what they say [MTY] are [able to] avoid trouble.
24 Un superbe arrogant s'appelle un moqueur, qui fait tout avec colère et fierté.
Those who make fun of [everything that is good] are proud and conceited [DOU]; they [always] act in an inconsiderate way [toward others].
25 Le souhait du paresseux le tue; car ses mains ont refusé de travailler.
Lazy people, who refuse to work, [will] die [of hunger] because they [SYN] do not earn [money to buy food].
26 Il y a tel qui tout le jour ne fait que souhaiter; mais le juste donne, et n'épargne rien.
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 une abomination; combien plus s'ils l'apportent avec une méchante intention?
[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 avec gain de cause.
Those who tell lies in court will be punished; no one stops/silences witnesses who say what is truthful/reliable.
29 L'homme méchant a un air impudent; mais l'homme juste dresse ses voies.
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 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 Le cheval est équipé pour le jour de la bataille, mais la délivrance vient de l'Eternel.
We [can] get horses ready to fight in a battle, but Yahweh is the one who enables us to (win victories/defeat our enemies).
