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 comme la pluie dans la moisson, ainsi la gloire ne sied pas à un sot.
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 moineau qui va çà et là, et l’hirondelle qui vole, ainsi la malédiction sans cause n’arrivera point.
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, la bride pour l’âne, et la verge pour le dos des sots.
4 Do not respond to the foolish according to his folly, lest you become like him.
Ne réponds pas au sot selon sa folie, de peur que toi aussi tu ne lui ressembles.
5 Respond to the foolish according to his folly, lest he imagine himself to be wise.
Réponds au sot selon sa folie, de peur qu’il ne soit sage à ses propres yeux.
6 Whoever sends words by a foolish messenger has lame feet and drinks iniquity.
Celui qui envoie des messages par la main d’un sot, se coupe les pieds [et] boit l’injustice.
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.
Les jambes du boiteux sont sans force: tel est un proverbe dans la bouche des sots.
8 Just like one who casts a stone into the pile of Mercury, so also is he who gives honor to the foolish.
Celui qui donne de la gloire à un sot, c’est comme un sachet de pierres précieuses dans un tas de pierres.
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.
Une épine qui entre dans la main d’un homme ivre, tel est un proverbe dans la bouche des sots.
10 Judgment determines cases. And whoever imposes silence on the foolish mitigates anger.
Le puissant use de violence envers tout le monde: il prend à gages le sot et il prend à gages les passants.
11 Like a dog that returns to his vomit, so also is the imprudent who repeats his foolishness.
Comme le chien retourne à son vomissement, le sot répète 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.
As-tu vu un homme sage à ses propres yeux? Il y a plus d’espoir pour un sot que pour 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] rugissant sur le chemin, 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, et le paresseux sur son lit.
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 enfonce sa main dans le plat, il est las de la ramener à sa bouche.
16 The lazy one seems wiser to himself than seven men speaking judgments.
Le paresseux est plus sage à ses yeux que sept [hommes] qui répondent avec bon sens.
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.
Il saisit un chien par les oreilles, celui qui, en passant, s’emporte pour une dispute qui n’est pas la sienne.
18 Just as he is guilty who let loose the arrows and the lances unto death,
Comme un fou qui jette des brandons, 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 l’homme qui trompe son prochain, et qui dit: N’était-ce pas pour plaisanter?
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; et, quand il n’y a plus de rapporteurs, 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.
Du charbon sur le brasier et du bois sur le feu, ainsi est l’homme querelleur pour échauffer les disputes.
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, et elles descendent jusqu’au-dedans 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.
Les lèvres brûlantes et le cœur mauvais sont comme de la litharge d’argent appliquée sur un vase de terre.
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 au-dedans de lui il nourrit la fraude.
25 When he will have lowered his voice, do not believe him, for there are seven vices in his heart.
Quand il rend sa voix gracieuse, ne le crois point, car il y a sept abominations dans son cœur.
26 Whoever covers hatred with deceit, his malice shall be revealed in the assembly.
La haine se cache-t-elle sous la dissimulation, sa méchanceté sera découverte dans la congrégation.
27 Whoever digs a pit will fall into it. And whoever rolls a stone, it will roll back to him.
Qui creuse une fosse y tombera, et la pierre retournera 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 a écrasés, et la bouche flatteuse amène la ruine.
