1 De la neige en été, de la pluie à la moisson: il est tout aussi déplacé de rendre honneur à un sot. | 1 As snow in summer, and rain in harvest, so glory is not seemly for a fool. |
2 Comme un moineau s’échappe, comme l’hirondelle prend son vol, de même quand on a maudit sans raison: cela ne sera pas. | 2 As a bird flying to other places, and a sparrow going here or there: so a curse uttered without cause shall come upon a man. |
3 Le fouet pour le cheval, la bride pour l’âne, et le bâton pour le dos des imbéciles! | 3 A whip for a horse, and a snaffle for an ass, and a rod for the back of fools. |
4 Ne réponds pas aux sottises d’un imbécile: tu deviendrais comme lui. | 4 Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou be made like him. |
5 Réponds aux sottises d’un imbécile: autrement il se prendrait pour un sage. | 5 Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he imagine himself to be wise. |
6 Il se coupe le pied, il devra avaler la pilule, celui qui confie ses messages à un imbécile. | 6 He that sendeth words by a foolish messenger, is lame of feet and drinketh iniquity. |
7 Des jambes de boiteux, mal assurées, telle est la parole sage dans la bouche d’un sot. | 7 As a lame man hath fair legs in vain: so a parable is unseemly in the mouth of fools. |
8 Donner de l’importance à un sot, ce n’est pas mieux que d’attacher la pierre à la fronde. | 8 As he that casteth a stone into the heap of Mercury: so is he that giveth honour to a fool. |
9 Une branche d’épines dans la main d’un ivrogne, telle est la parole sage dans la bouche d’un sot. | 9 As if a thorn should grow in the hand of a drunkard: so is a parable in the mouth of fools. |
10 Un tireur à l’arc qui blesse les passants: ce sera pareil si tu emploies un imbécile. | 10 Judgment determineth causes: and he that putteth a fool to silence, appeaseth anger. |
11 Le chien revient à son vomissement, et l’insensé retourne à sa folie. | 11 As a dog that returneth to his vomit, so is the fool that repeateth his folly. |
12 Vois-tu un homme qui se prend pour un sage? Il y a plus à espérer d’un sot que de lui. | 12 Hast thou seen a man wise in his own conceit? there shall be more hope of a fool than of him. |
13 Le paresseux dit: “Il y a une bête féroce sur le chemin! Il y a un lion dans la rue!” | 13 The slothful man saith: There is a lion in the way, and a lioness in the roads. |
14 La porte tourne sur ses gonds, et le paresseux sur son lit. | 14 As the door turneth upon its hinges, so doth the slothful upon his bed. |
15 Quand le paresseux tend la main vers le plat, il est trop fatigué pour la ramener à la bouche. | 15 The slothful hideth his hand under his armpit, and it grieveth him to turn it to his mouth. |
16 Le paresseux se croit plus sage que sept personnes qui répondent bien. | 16 The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit, than seven men that speak sentences. |
17 Se mêler des querelles d’autrui? Autant attraper par les oreilles un chien qui passe! | 17 As he that taketh a dog by the ears, so is he that passeth by in anger, and meddleth with another man's quarrel. |
18 Un fou qui lance des braises ou des flèches meurtrières: | 18 As he is guilty that shooteth arrows, and lances unto death : |
19 tel est celui qui ment à son prochain avant de lui dire: “C’était pour rire!” | 19 So is the man that hurteth his friend deceitfully: and when he is taken, saith: I did it in jest. |
20 Plus de bois: le feu s’éteint; plus de médisant: la querelle s’apaise. | 20 When the wood faileth, the fire shall go out: and when the talebearer is taken away, contentions shall cease. |
21 Le charbon et le bois activent le feu, et l’homme querelleur enflamme les disputes. | 21 As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire, so an angry man stirreth up strife. |
22 Les paroles du médisant sont comme des friandises; elles glissent doucement jusqu’au fond des entrailles. | 22 The words of a talebearer are as it were simple, but they reach to the innermost parts of the belly. |
23 Une garniture d’argent sur un pot de terre: telles sont les bonnes paroles d’un mauvais cœur. | 23 Swelling lips joined with a corrupt heart, are like an earthen vessel adorned with silver dross. |
24 Celui qui a de la haine déguise son langage et cache en lui sa méchanceté. | 24 An enemy is known by his lips, when in his heart he entertaineth deceit. |
25 S’il exprime de bons sentiments, ne t’y fie pas: sept méchancetés occupent son cœur. | 25 When he shall speak low, trust him not: because there are seven mischiefs in his heart. |
26 Mais il a beau cacher sa haine sous des airs rusés, sa malice ressortira en public. | 26 He that covereth hatred deceitfully, his malice shall be laid open in the public assembly. |
27 Qui creuse une fosse y tombera; qui roule une pierre, elle reviendra sur lui. | 27 He that diggeth a pit, shall fall into it: and he that rolleth a stone, it shall return to him. |
28 Celui qui ment hait celui qu’il blesse; il parle gentiment, mais c’est pour ruiner. | 28 A deceitful tongue loveth not truth: and a slippery mouth worketh ruin. |