Proverbes 31
1 Paroles de Lamuel roi. Vision par laquelle l’a instruit sa mère.
These are sayings/messages that [God gave to] King Lemuel’s mother, and which his mother taught him:
2 Que te dirai-je, mon bien aimé, que te dirai-je, bien aimé de mon sein, que te dirai-je, bien-aimé de mes vœux?
You are my son; I gave birth to you [RHQ]; you are the son that [God gave me] in answer to my prayers.
3 Ne donne pas aux femmes ton bien, et tes richesses pour perdre des rois.
Do not exhaust your energy [having sex] [EUP] with women [to whom you are not married], with women who ruin kings [by having sex with them].
4 Non aux rois, ô Lamuel, non aux rois, ne donne pas de vin, parce qu’il n’est nul secret où règne l’ivresse:
Lemuel, kings should not be [constantly] drinking wine or [greatly] desire [to drink other] strong/alcoholic drinks.
5 Et de peur qu’ils ne boivent et qu’ils n’oublient les jugements, et qu’ils ne changent la cause des fils du pauvre.
If they do that, they forget the laws [that they have made], and they do not do what is right for poor/afflicted [people].
6 Donnez de la cervoise à ceux qui sont affligés, et du vin à ceux qui ont le cœur dans l’amertume;
Give strong/alcoholic drinks to those who are dying and to those who are (greatly distressed/suffering very much).
7 Qu’ils boivent et qu’ils oublient leur détresse, et que de leur douleur ils ne se souviennent plus.
If they drink, they will forget that they are poor, and they will not think about their distress/troubles any more.
8 Ouvre ta bouche pour le muet, et pour les causes de tous les fils qui passent;
Speak [MTY] to defend people who are unable to defend themselves; speak to encourage others to do what is right for those who are helpless.
9 Ouvre ta bouche, décrète ce qui est juste, et juge l’homme qui est sans ressources, et le pauvre.
Speak [MTY] (on their behalf/to help them) and try to cause judges to decide matters fairly/justly; try to cause others to do for poor and needy [people] what should be done for them.
10 Une femme forte, qui la trouvera? au-dessus de ce qui vient de loin et des derniers confins du monde est son prix.
It is very difficult [for a man] to [RHQ] find a wife who is good and who is capable [of doing many things]. [Any woman who is like that] is worth more than jewels.
11 Le cœur de son mari se confie en elle; et il ne manquera pas de dépouilles.
Her husband completely trusts her, and [because of her], he has everything that he needs [LIT].
12 Elle lui rendra le bien et non le mal, tous les jours de sa vie.
She never does anything that would harm him; she does good things for him all the days of her life.
13 Elle a cherché la laine et le lin, et elle a travaillé par le conseil de ses mains.
She finds wool and flax [in the market], and she enjoys spinning it [to make yarn].
14 Elle est devenue comme le vaisseau d’un marchand, portant de loin son pain.
She is like [SIM] a ship that brings from far away goods/merchandise to sell, [because] she buys food that comes from far away.
15 Et de nuit elle s’est levée, et elle a donné de la nourriture aux personnes de sa maison, et des vivres à ses servantes.
She gets up before dawn to prepare food for her family. [Then] she plans the work that her servant girls will do on that day.
16 Elle a considéré un champ et l’a acheté: du fruit de ses mains, elle a planté une vigne.
She [goes out and] looks at a field [that someone wants to sell]; and [if it is a good field], she buys it. She [buys] grapevines [MTY] with the money that she has earned, [and then] she plants them.
17 Elle a ceint de force ses reins, et elle a affermi son bras.
She works very hard [IDM]; she makes her arms strong [by the work she does].
18 Elle a goûté et elle a vu que son commerce est bon: pendant la nuit, sa lampe ne s’éteindra pas.
She knows when she is getting a good profit from her business. [When it is necessary], she works [MTY] until it is late at night.
19 Elle a mis sa main à des choses fortes; et ses doigts ont pris le fuseau.
She holds the (spindle/rod which twists the thread that she is making), and [then] she spins the thread [MTY] [that she will use].
20 Elle a ouvert sa main à l’homme sans ressources, et ses paumes, elles les a détendues vers le pauvre.
She generously helps [MTY] those who are poor and needy [DOU].
21 Elle ne craindra pas pour sa maison le froid de la neige, car toutes les personnes de sa maison ont un double vêtement.
She is not worried that [the people in her house will be cold in] the winter, because [she has made] warm clothes for all of them.
22 Elle s’est fait une couverture: le fin lin et la pourpre forment son vêtement.
She makes bedspreads/quilts for the beds. She wears fine linen clothes that are dyed purple, [like queens wear].
23 Illustre sera son mari aux portes de la ville, quand il siégera avec les sénateurs de la terre.
Her husband is [well] known by the important people of the town; he sits with the [other] town leaders in the meetings of the town council.
24 Elle a fait un fin tissu, et elle l’a vendu; et elle a livré une ceinture au Chananéen.
She makes clothes from linen cloth and sells them. She sells sashes to shop owners.
25 La force et la beauté sont son vêtement, et elle rira au jour dernier.
She is strong in her character and respected/dignified, and she (laughs at/is not afraid of) [what will happen in] the future.
26 Elle a ouvert sa bouche à la sagesse, et la loi de la clémence est sur sa langue.
When she speaks, she says what is wise. When she gives instructions, she speaks [MTY] kindly (OR, faithfully).
27 Elle a considéré les sentiers de sa maison, et elle n’a pas mangé de pain dans l’oisiveté.
She watches over everything that is done in her household, and she [IDM] is never lazy.
28 Ses fils se sont levés et l’ont proclamée très heureuse; son mari s’est levé, et l’a louée.
Her children all together speak highly of her, and her husband also praises her.
29 Beaucoup de filles ont amassé des richesses: mais toi, tu les as toutes surpassées.
[He says to her], “There are many women who do admirable things, but you surpass them all!”
30 Trompeuse est la grâce, et vaine est la beauté: la femme qui craint le Seigneur est celle qui sera louée.
Some women who are attractive [are not really good women], [but] they can deceive us [regarding what they are really like]. Furthermore, women’s beauty does not last; but women who revere Yahweh should be honored.
31 Donnez-lui le fruit de ses mains, et que ses œuvres la louent aux portes de la ville.
Reward women who are like that, and praise them in public [MTY] for what they have done.
