Proverbs 31
1 These are sayings/messages that [God gave to] King Lemuel’s mother, and which his mother taught him:
Discours au roi Lémuel. Maximes que lui enseigna sa mère.
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 qui as 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 pas aux femmes ta vigueur, et ne suis pas la voie qui perd les rois!
4 Lemuel, kings should not be [constantly] drinking wine or [greatly] desire [to drink other] strong/alcoholic drinks.
Ce n'est pas aux rois, Lémuel, ce n'est pas aux rois de boire du vin, ni aux princes de boire de la cervoise;
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 que, s'ils boivent, ils n'oublient la Loi, et n'attentent aux droits de tous les fils du malheur.
6 Give strong/alcoholic drinks to those who are dying and to those who are (greatly distressed/suffering very much).
Donnez de la cervoise à qui va périr, et du vin à qui a l'amertume dans le cœur;
7 If they drink, they will forget that they are poor, and they will not think about their distress/troubles any more.
qu'il boive et oublie sa misère, et de ses peines perde le souvenir!
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 la bouche en faveur du muet. et pour défendre tous les enfants 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 la bouche, et juge avec justice, et défends le misérable et le 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.
Une femme forte! qui pourra la trouver? Elle a plus de valeur que les perles.
11 Her husband completely trusts her, and [because of her], he has everything that he needs [LIT].
En elle s'assure le cœur de son mari, et les profits ne lui manqueront pas.
12 She never does anything that would harm him; she does good things for him all the days of her life.
Elle lui fait du bien, et jamais de mal, tous les jours de sa vie.
13 She finds wool and flax [in the market], and she enjoys spinning it [to make yarn].
Elle met en œuvre la laine et le lin, et fait avec plaisir le travail de ses mains.
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.
Semblable aux navires des marchands, elle fait venir de loin ses denrées.
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, quand il est nuit encore; et distribue la nourriture à sa maison, et une 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 pense à un champ, et elle l'acquiert; du fruit de son travail elle plante une vigne.
17 She works very hard [IDM]; she makes her arms strong [by the work she does].
Elle met à ses reins une ceinture de force, et fortifie 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 goûte les bons effets de son industrie! la nuit sa lampe ne s'éteint point.
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 porte la main à la quenouille, et ses doigts prennent le fuseau.
20 She generously helps [MTY] those who are poor and needy [DOU].
Elle ouvre sa main au pauvre, et tend la main au misérable.
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.
Pour sa maison elle ne redoute point la neige; car toute sa maison est pourvue d'étoffes précieuses;
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, et le lin et la pourpre l'habillent.
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, quand il siège avec les Anciens du pays.
24 She makes clothes from linen cloth and sells them. She sells sashes to shop owners.
Elle fait des tuniques, et les vend, et livre des ceintures au Cananéen.
25 She is strong in her character and respected/dignified, and she (laughs at/is not afraid of) [what will happen in] the future.
Elle est revêtue de force et de dignité, et elle se rit du lendemain.
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 sa langue instruit avec grâce.
27 She watches over everything that is done in her household, and she [IDM] is never lazy.
Elle observe le mouvement de sa maison, et ne mange pas le pain d'oisiveté.
28 Her children all together speak highly of her, and her husband also praises her.
Ses fils se lèvent, et la disent heureuse, son mari [se lève], et lui donne des louanges:
29 [He says to her], “There are many women who do admirable things, but you surpass them all!”
« Plusieurs femmes sont des femmes fortes, mais 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 illusion, et la beauté, vanité; c'est la femme craignant Dieu qu'on doit louer.
31 Reward women who are like that, and praise them in public [MTY] for what they have done.
Faites-la jouir du fruit de son travail! Qu'aux Portes ses œuvres la louent!
