Proverbs 26
1 In the manner of snow in the summer, and rain at the harvest, so also is glory unfit for the foolish.
Comme la neige en été, et la pluie pendant la moisson, ainsi la gloire ne convient pas à un insensé.
2 Like a bird flying away to another place, and like a sparrow that hurries away freely, so also a curse uttered against someone without cause will pass away.
Comme le passereau qui s’échappe, comme l’hirondelle qui s’envole, ainsi la malédiction sans cause n’atteint pas.
3 A whip is for a horse, and a muzzle is for donkey, and a rod is for the back of the imprudent.
Le fouet est pour le cheval, le mors pour l’âne et la verge pour le dos des insensés.
4 Do not respond to the foolish according to his folly, lest you become like him.
Ne réponds pas à l’insensé selon sa folie, de peur de lui ressembler toi-même.
5 Respond to the foolish according to his folly, lest he imagine himself to be wise.
Réponds à l’insensé selon sa folie, de peur qu’il ne se regarde comme sage.
6 Whoever sends words by a foolish messenger has lame feet and drinks iniquity.
Il se coupe les pieds, il boit l’iniquité, celui qui donne des messages à un insensé.
7 In the manner of a lame man who has beautiful legs to no purpose, so also is a parable unfit for the mouth of the foolish.
Otez les jambes au boiteux, est la sentence de la bouche de l’insensé.
8 Just like one who casts a stone into the pile of Mercury, so also is he who gives honor to the foolish.
C’est attacher une pierre à la fronde, que de rendre gloire à un insensé.
9 In the manner of a thorn, if it were to spring up from the hand of a drunkard, so also is a parable in the mouth of the foolish.
Comme une épine qui s’enfonce dans la main d’un homme ivre, ainsi est une sentence dans la bouche des insensés.
10 Judgment determines cases. And whoever imposes silence on the foolish mitigates anger.
Comme un archer qui blesse tout le monde, ainsi est celui qui prend à gage les insensés et les passants.
11 Like a dog that returns to his vomit, so also is the imprudent who repeats his foolishness.
Comme un chien qui retourne à son vomissement, ainsi est un insensé qui revient à sa folie.
12 Have you seen a man who seems wise to himself? There will be greater hope held for the unwise than for him.
Si tu vois un homme qui est sage à ses yeux, il faut plus espérer d’un insensé que de lui.
13 The lazy one says, “There is a lion along the way, and a lioness in the roads.”
Le paresseux dit: « Il y a un lion sur la route, il y a un lion dans les rues. »
14 Just as a door turns upon its hinges, so also does the lazy one turn upon his bed.
La porte tourne sur ses gonds, ainsi le paresseux sur sa couche.
15 The lazy one conceals his hand under his arms, and it is a labor for him to move it to his mouth.
Le paresseux met sa main dans le plat, et il a de la peine à la porter à la bouche.
16 The lazy one seems wiser to himself than seven men speaking judgments.
Le paresseux est plus sage à ses yeux que sept conseillers prudents.
17 Just like one who takes hold of a dog by the ears, so also is he who crosses impatiently and meddles in the quarrels of another.
Comme celui qui saisit un chien par les oreilles, tel est le passant qui s’échauffe dans la querelle d’autrui.
18 Just as he is guilty who let loose the arrows and the lances unto death,
Comme un furieux qui lance des traits enflammés, des flèches et la mort,
19 so also is the man who harms his friend by deceitfulness. And when he has been apprehended, he says, “I did it jokingly.”
ainsi est un homme qui a trompé son prochain et qui dit: « Est-ce que je ne plaisantais pas. »
20 When the wood fails, the fire will be extinguished. And when the gossiper is taken away, conflicts will be quelled.
Faute de bois, le feu s’éteint; éloignez le rapporteur, et la querelle s’apaise.
21 Just as charcoals are to burning coals, and wood is to fire, so also is an angry man who stirs up quarrels.
Le charbon donne un brasier et le bois du feu: ainsi l’homme querelleur irrite une discussion.
22 The words of a whisperer seem simple, but they penetrate to the innermost parts of the self.
Les paroles du rapporteur sont comme des friandises; elles descendent jusqu’au fond des entrailles.
23 In the same manner as an earthen vessel, if it were adorned with impure silver, conceited lips are allied with a wicked heart.
Des scories d’argent appliquées sur un vase de terre, telles sont les lèvres brûlantes avec un cœur mauvais.
24 An enemy is known by his lips, though it is from his heart that he draws out deceit.
Celui qui hait se déguise par ses lèvres, mais il met au dedans de lui la perfidie.
25 When he will have lowered his voice, do not believe him, for there are seven vices in his heart.
Quand il adoucit sa voix, ne te fies pas à lui, car il a sept abominations dans son cœur.
26 Whoever covers hatred with deceit, his malice shall be revealed in the assembly.
Il peut bien cacher sa haine sous la dissimulation, mais sa méchanceté se révélera dans l’assemblée.
27 Whoever digs a pit will fall into it. And whoever rolls a stone, it will roll back to him.
Celui qui creuse une fosse y tombe, et la pierre revient sur celui qui la roule.
28 A false tongue does not love truth. And a slippery mouth works ruin.
La langue fausse hait ceux qu’elle blesse, et la bouche flatteuse cause la ruine.
