Proverbs 31
1 These are sayings/messages that [God gave to] King Lemuel’s mother, and which his mother taught him:
Paroles du roi Lémuel, sentences par lesquelles sa mère l'instruisit.
2 You are my son; I gave birth to you [RHQ]; you are the son that [God gave me] in answer to my prayers.
Que te dirai-je, mon fils? Que te dirai-je, fils de mes entrailles? Que te dirai-je, fils de mes vœux?
3 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].
Ne livre point ta force aux femmes, ni tes voies à celles qui perdent les rois.
4 Lemuel, kings should not be [constantly] drinking wine or [greatly] desire [to drink other] strong/alcoholic drinks.
Ce n'est point aux rois, Lémuel, ce n'est point aux rois de boire le vin, ni aux princes de boire la boisson forte;
5 If they do that, they forget the laws [that they have made], and they do not do what is right for poor/afflicted [people].
De peur qu'ayant bu, ils n'oublient ce qui est ordonné, et qu'ils ne méconnaissent le droit de tous les pauvres affligés.
6 Give strong/alcoholic drinks to those who are dying and to those who are (greatly distressed/suffering very much).
Donnez de la boisson forte à celui qui va périr, et du vin à celui qui a l'amertume dans l'âme;
7 If they drink, they will forget that they are poor, and they will not think about their distress/troubles any more.
Pour qu'il en boive, qu'il oublie sa pauvreté, et ne se souvienne plus de sa peine.
8 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.
Ouvre ta bouche en faveur du muet, et pour le droit de ceux qui sont délaissés.
9 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.
Ouvre ta bouche, juge avec justice, et fais droit à l'affligé et au pauvre.
10 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.
Qui est-ce qui trouvera une femme vertueuse? Car son prix surpasse beaucoup celui des perles.
11 Her husband completely trusts her, and [because of her], he has everything that he needs [LIT].
Le cœur de son mari s'assure en elle, et il ne manquera point de butin;
12 She never does anything that would harm him; she does good things for him all the days of her life.
Elle lui fera du bien tous les jours de sa vie, et jamais du mal.
13 She finds wool and flax [in the market], and she enjoys spinning it [to make yarn].
Elle cherche de la laine et du lin, et elle fait de ses mains ce qu'elle veut;
14 She is like [SIM] a ship that brings from far away goods/merchandise to sell, [because] she buys food that comes from far away.
Elle est comme les navires d'un marchand, elle amène son pain de loin.
15 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.
Elle se lève lorsqu'il est encore nuit, et elle distribue la nourriture à sa famille, et la tâche à ses servantes;
16 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.
Elle considère un champ, et l'acquiert, et du fruit de ses mains elle plante une vigne.
17 She works very hard [IDM]; she makes her arms strong [by the work she does].
Elle ceint ses reins de force, et elle affermit ses bras;
18 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.
Elle éprouve que son trafic est bon; sa lampe ne s'éteint point la nuit;
19 She holds the (spindle/rod which twists the thread that she is making), and [then] she spins the thread [MTY] [that she will use].
Elle met ses mains à la quenouille, et ses doigts tiennent le fuseau.
20 She generously helps [MTY] those who are poor and needy [DOU].
Elle tend la main à l'affligé, et présente ses mains aux pauvres.
21 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.
Elle ne craint point la neige pour sa famille; car toute sa famille est vêtue de laine cramoisi.
22 She makes bedspreads/quilts for the beds. She wears fine linen clothes that are dyed purple, [like queens wear].
Elle se fait des couvertures; ses vêtements sont de fin lin et d'écarlate.
23 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.
Son mari est considéré aux portes, lorsqu'il est assis avec les anciens du pays.
24 She makes clothes from linen cloth and sells them. She sells sashes to shop owners.
Elle fait du linge et le vend; et des ceintures, qu'elle donne au marchand;
25 She is strong in her character and respected/dignified, and she (laughs at/is not afraid of) [what will happen in] the future.
La force et la magnificence forment son vêtement, et elle se rit du jour à venir;
26 When she speaks, she says what is wise. When she gives instructions, she speaks [MTY] kindly (OR, faithfully).
Elle ouvre la bouche avec sagesse, et des instructions aimables sont sur sa langue;
27 She watches over everything that is done in her household, and she [IDM] is never lazy.
Elle surveille ce qui se fait dans sa maison, et elle ne mange point le pain de paresse.
28 Her children all together speak highly of her, and her husband also praises her.
Ses enfants se lèvent, et la disent bienheureuse; son mari aussi, et il la loue, et dit:
29 [He says to her], “There are many women who do admirable things, but you surpass them all!”
Plusieurs filles ont une conduite vertueuse; mais toi, tu les surpasses toutes.
30 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.
La grâce est trompeuse, et la beauté s'évanouit; mais la femme qui craint l'Éternel est celle qui sera louée.
31 Reward women who are like that, and praise them in public [MTY] for what they have done.
Donnez-lui le fruit de ses mains, et qu'aux portes ses œuvres la louent.
