1 Il y a des mines pour l’argent, et des endroits où l’on sait raffiner l’or. | 1 Silver has its fissures where it is first found, and gold has a place where it is melted. |
2 C’est du sol qu’on extrait le fer, on tire le cuivre de la roche en fusion. | 2 Iron is taken from the earth, and ore, unbound by heat, is turned into brass. |
3 On est venu mettre fin aux ténèbres, on a fouillé toujours plus loin dans la roche obscure et les ombres de mort. | 3 He has established a time for darkness, and he has settled on an end for all things, as well as for the stone that is in the gloom and shadow of death. |
4 Un peuple étranger a ouvert des passages dans l’inconnu où nul n’avait pénétré: suspendus, ils se balancent très loin des humains. | 4 The burning separates a pilgrim people from those who have been forgotten by the feet of the destitute man and from the unapproachable. |
5 C’est la terre d’où sort le pain, mais en dessous le feu l’a transformée; | 5 The land, where bread appeared in its place, has been destroyed by fire. |
6 c’est le domaine des pierres de saphir, là se trouvent les paillettes d’or. | 6 Its stones are embedded with sapphires, and its soil, with gold. |
7 Sentier inconnu des rapaces, que l’œil du vautour n’a pas repéré, | 7 The bird does not know its path, nor has the eye of the vulture beheld it. |
8 où les bêtes féroces n’ont pas pénétré, que le léopard n’a pas suivi. | 8 The sons of merchants have not walked there, nor has the lioness traveled through it. |
9 Mais on s’est attaqué au granit, l’homme a violé les fondations de la montagne. | 9 He has stretched out his hand to the rocks; he has overturned the foundations of the mountains. |
10 On a creusé des canaux dans le roc, et l’œil humain a vu tout ce qui est rare; | 10 He has cut rivers through the rocks, and his eye has seen all precious things. |
11 on a exploré les sources des fleuves, ramené à la lumière ce qui était caché. | 11 The depths of rivers he has also examined, and he has brought hidden things into the light. |
12 Mais la Sagesse, d’où sort-elle? Y a-t-il un lieu de l’Intelligence? | 12 But, in truth, where is wisdom to be found, and where is the place of understanding? |
13 L’homme n’en connaît pas le chemin, on ne la trouvera pas sur la terre des vivants. | 13 Man does not know its price, nor is it found in the land of those who live in sweetness. |
14 Le monde d’en bas l’a dit: “Elle n’est pas chez moi!”, la mer l’a dit: “Je ne l’ai pas ici!” | 14 The abyss declares, “It is not in me.” And the sea says, “It is not with me.” |
15 Offre de l’or, on ne te la donnera pas, elle ne se paye pas en argent pesé. | 15 The finest gold will not be paid for it, nor will silver be weighed in exchange for it. |
16 On ne l’évalue pas au prix de l’or d’Ofir, du diamant ou des saphirs, | 16 It will not be compared with the dyed colors of India, nor with the very costly stone sardonyx, nor with the sapphire. |
17 Ni l’or ni le cristal ne lui sont comparables, aucun vase d’orfèvre n’atteint sa valeur; | 17 Neither gold nor crystal will be its equal; neither will vessels of gold be fitted for it. |
18 le corail et le verre, n’en parlons pas! Vous cherchez des perles? mieux vaut la sagesse. | 18 The exalted and the eminent will not be remembered in comparison with it. Yet wisdom is drawn out of concealment. |
19 La topaze d’Éthiopie ne tient pas devant elle, l’or pur se retrouve sans valeur. | 19 The topaz of Ethiopia will not be equal to it, nor will it be compared to the purest dyes. |
20 Mais d’où vient la Sagesse? Y a-t-il un lieu de l’Intelligence? | 20 So then, where does wisdom begin, and where is the place of understanding? |
21 Elle est cachée aux yeux de tous les vivants, elle se dissimule aux oiseaux du ciel. | 21 It has been hidden from the eyes of all living things, just as the birds of the heavens escape notice. |
22 Le monde des morts, la Mort en personne l’ont dit: “C’est une chose dont on nous a parlé!” | 22 Perdition and death have said, “With our ears, we have heard its fame.” |
23 Mais le chemin vers elle, Dieu le connaît; il sait où la trouver, | 23 God understands its way, and he knows its location. |
24 lui qui observe jusqu’aux confins du monde, et voit tout ce qui est sous les cieux. | 24 For he beholds the limits of the world, and he looks upon all things that are under heaven. |
25 Lorsqu’il déterminait la force du vent et mesurait la profondeur des eaux, | 25 He created a counterweight for the winds, and he suspended the waters to measure them. |
26 lorsqu’il fixait le régime des pluies et l’extension des échos du tonnerre, | 26 At that time, he gave a law to the rain and a path to the resounding storms. |
27 c’est alors qu’il l’a vue et analysée, qu’il l’a mise en place en lui donnant son prix. | 27 Then he saw and explained it, and he made ready and examined it. |
28 (Puis il a dit aux hommes: “Craindre le Seigneur, voilà la sagesse! S’écarter du mal, voilà l’intelligence!”) | 28 And he said to man, “Behold the fear of the Lord. Such is wisdom. And to withdraw from evil, this is understanding.” |