Ecclésiaste 5

JERUSALEM	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 Ne hâte pas tes lèvres, que ton coeur ne se presse pas de proférer une parole devant Dieu, carDieu est au ciel et toi sur la terre; aussi, que tes paroles soient peu nombreuses.	1 You should not speak anything rashly, nor should your heart be hasty to present a word before God. For God is in heaven, and you are on earth. For this reason, let your words be few.
2 Car du nombre des tracas vient le songe, du nombre des paroles, le ton de l'insensé.	2 Dreams follow many worries, and in many words foolishness will be found.
3 Si tu fais un voeu à Dieu, ne tarde pas à l'accomplir, car Dieu n'aime pas les insensés. Ton voeu,accomplis-le.	3 If you have vowed anything to God, you should not delay to repay it. And whatever you have vowed, render it. But an unfaithful and foolish promise displeases him.
4 Et mieux vaut ne pas faire de voeu que d'en faire un sans l'accomplir.	4 And it is much better not to make a vow, than, after a vow, not to fulfill what was promised.
5 Ne laisse pas ta bouche faire de toi un pécheur. Et ne va pas dire au Messager que c'était parinadvertance: pourquoi donner à Dieu l'occasion de s'irriter contre toi et de ruiner l'oeuvre de tes mains?	5 You should not use your mouth so as to cause your flesh to sin. And you should not say, in the sight of an Angel, “There is no Providence.” For God, being angry at your words, may scatter all the works of your hands.
6 Car du nombre des songes viennent les vanités et les paroles multipliées. Ainsi crains Dieu.	6 Where there are many dreams, there are many vanities and innumerable words. Yet truly, you must fear God.
7 Si tu vois dans une province le pauvre opprimé, la justice et le droit bafoués, n'en sois passurpris; car au-dessus d'une autorité veille une plus haute autorité, et de plus hautes au-dessus d'elles.	7 If you see false accusations against the indigent, and violent judgments, and subverted justice in the government, do not be surprised over this situation. For those in high places have others who are higher, and there are still others, more eminent, over these.
8 Mais le profit qu'on tire d'une terre est à tous, un roi est servi par les champs.	8 But finally, there is the King who rules over the entire earth, which is subject to him.
9 Qui aime l'argent ne se rassasie pas d'argent, qui aime l'abondance n'a pas de revenu, cela aussiest vanité.	9 A greedy man will not be satisfied by money. And whoever loves wealth will reap no fruit from it. Therefore, this, too, is emptiness.
10 Où abonde le bien, abondent ceux qui le mangent, quel avantage pour le propriétaire, sinon unspectacle pour les yeux?	10 Where there are many riches, there will also be many to consume these things. And how does it benefit the one who possesses, except that he discerns the wealth with his own eyes?
11 Le sommeil du travailleur est doux, qu'il ait mangé peu ou beaucoup; mais la satiété du riche nele laisse pas dormir.	11 Sleep is sweet to one who works, whether he consumes little or much. But the satiation of a wealthy man will not permit him to sleep.
12 Il est un tort criant que je vois sous le soleil: la richesse gardée par son possesseur à son propredétriment.	12 There is even another most burdensome infirmity, which I have seen under the sun: wealth kept to the harm of the owner.
13 Il perd cette richesse dans une mauvaise affaire, il met au monde un fils, il n'a plus rien enmain.	13 For they are lost in a most grievous affliction. He has produced a son, who will be in the utmost destitution.
14 Comme il était sorti du sein de sa mère, tout nu, il s'en retournera, comme il était venu. De sontravail il n'a rien retiré qui lui reste en main.	14 Just as he went forth naked from his mother's womb, so shall he return, and he shall take nothing with him from his labors.
15 Cela aussi est un tort criant qu'il s'en aille comme il était venu: Quel profit retire-t-il d'avoirtravaillé pour le vent?	15 It is an utterly miserable infirmity that, in the same manner as he has arrived, so shall he return. How then does it benefit him, since he has labored for the wind?
16 Et puis tous ses jours se passent dans l'obscurité, le deuil, les chagrins nombreux, la maladie etl'irritation.	16 All the days of his life he consumes: in darkness, and with many worries, and in distress as well as sadness.
17 Voici ce que j'ai vu: le bonheur qui convient à l'homme, c'est de manger et de boire, et detrouver le bonheur dans tout le travail qu'il accomplit sous le soleil, tout au long des jours de la vie que Dieu luidonne, car c'est là sa part.	17 And so, this has seemed good to me: that a person should eat and drink, and should enjoy the fruits of his labor, in which he has toiled under the sun, for the number of the days of his life that God has given him. For this is his portion.
18 Et tout homme à qui Dieu donne richesses et ressources, qu'il laisse maître de s'en nourrir, d'enrecevoir sa part et de jouir de son travail, cela est un don de Dieu.	18 And this is a gift from God: that every man to whom God has given wealth and resources, and to whom he has granted the ability to consume these, may enjoy his portion, and may find joy in his labors.
19 Car il ne se souvient guère des jours de sa vie tant que Dieu occupe son coeur à la joie.	19 And then he will not fully remember the days of his life, because God occupies his heart with delights.