Livre des Proverbes 26

BIBLES DES PEUPLES	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 De la neige en été, de la pluie à la moisson: il est tout aussi déplacé de rendre honneur à un sot.	1 In the manner of snow in the summer, and rain at the harvest, so also is glory unfit for the foolish.
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 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.
3 Le fouet pour le cheval, la bride pour l’âne, et le bâton pour le dos des imbéciles!	3 A whip is for a horse, and a muzzle is for donkey, and a rod is for the back of the imprudent.
4 Ne réponds pas aux sottises d’un imbécile: tu deviendrais comme lui.	4 Do not respond to the foolish according to his folly, lest you become like him.
5 Réponds aux sottises d’un imbécile: autrement il se prendrait pour un sage.	5 Respond to the foolish 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 Whoever sends words by a foolish messenger has lame feet and drinks iniquity.
7 Des jambes de boiteux, mal assurées, telle est la parole sage dans la bouche d’un sot.	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.
8 Donner de l’importance à un sot, ce n’est pas mieux que d’attacher la pierre à la fronde.	8 Just like one who casts a stone into the pile of Mercury, so also is he who gives honor to the foolish.
9 Une branche d’épines dans la main d’un ivrogne, telle est la parole sage dans la bouche d’un sot.	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.
10 Un tireur à l’arc qui blesse les passants: ce sera pareil si tu emploies un imbécile.	10 Judgment determines cases. And whoever imposes silence on the foolish mitigates anger.
11 Le chien revient à son vomissement, et l’insensé retourne à sa folie.	11 Like a dog that returns to his vomit, so also is the imprudent who repeats his foolishness.
12 Vois-tu un homme qui se prend pour un sage? Il y a plus à espérer d’un sot que de lui.	12 Have you seen a man who seems wise to himself? There will be greater hope held for the unwise than for him.
13 Le paresseux dit: “Il y a une bête féroce sur le chemin! Il y a un lion dans la rue!”	13 The lazy one says, “There is a lion along the way, and a lioness in the roads.”
14 La porte tourne sur ses gonds, et le paresseux sur son lit.	14 Just as a door turns upon its hinges, so also does the lazy one turn 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 lazy one conceals his hand under his arms, and it is a labor for him to move it to his mouth.
16 Le paresseux se croit plus sage que sept personnes qui répondent bien.	16 The lazy one seems wiser to himself than seven men speaking judgments.
17 Se mêler des querelles d’autrui? Autant attraper par les oreilles un chien qui passe!	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.
18 Un fou qui lance des braises ou des flèches meurtrières:	18 Just as he is guilty who let loose the arrows and the lances unto death,
19 tel est celui qui ment à son prochain avant de lui dire: “C’était pour rire!”	19 so also is the man who harms his friend by deceitfulness. And when he has been apprehended, he says, “I did it jokingly.”
20 Plus de bois: le feu s’éteint; plus de médisant: la querelle s’apaise.	20 When the wood fails, the fire will be extinguished. And when the gossiper is taken away, conflicts will be quelled.
21 Le charbon et le bois activent le feu, et l’homme querelleur enflamme les disputes.	21 Just as charcoals are to burning coals, and wood is to fire, so also is an angry man who stirs up quarrels.
22 Les paroles du médisant sont comme des friandises; elles glissent doucement jusqu’au fond des entrailles.	22 The words of a whisperer seem simple, but they penetrate to the innermost parts of the self.
23 Une garniture d’argent sur un pot de terre: telles sont les bonnes paroles d’un mauvais cœur.	23 In the same manner as an earthen vessel, if it were adorned with impure silver, conceited lips are allied with a wicked heart.
24 Celui qui a de la haine déguise son langage et cache en lui sa méchanceté.	24 An enemy is known by his lips, though it is from his heart that he draws out deceit.
25 S’il exprime de bons sentiments, ne t’y fie pas: sept méchancetés occupent son cœur.	25 When he will have lowered his voice, do not believe him, for there are seven vices in his heart.
26 Mais il a beau cacher sa haine sous des airs rusés, sa malice ressortira en public.	26 Whoever covers hatred with deceit, his malice shall be revealed in the assembly.
27 Qui creuse une fosse y tombera; qui roule une pierre, elle reviendra sur lui.	27 Whoever digs a pit will fall into it. And whoever rolls a stone, it will roll back to him.
28 Celui qui ment hait celui qu’il blesse; il parle gentiment, mais c’est pour ruiner.	28 A false tongue does not love truth. And a slippery mouth works ruin.