Ecclesiastes/Qohelet 5

CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN	BIBLES DES PEUPLES
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.	1 Ne parle pas trop vite, ne précipite pas ta décision lorsque tu t’engages devant Dieu, car Dieu est au ciel, et toi sur la terre: ne t’engage pas trop.
2 Dreams follow many worries, and in many words foolishness will be found.	2 Trop de soucis, tu te perds dans les rêves; trop de promesses, tu parleras de travers.
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.	3 Si tu as fait à Dieu une promesse, ne tarde pas à l’accomplir, car Dieu n’aime pas les sots: si tu l’as promis, fais-le.
4 And it is much better not to make a vow, than, after a vow, not to fulfill what was promised.	4 Il vaut mieux ne rien lui promettre que de promettre sans tenir ta parole:
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.	5 vois-tu que, à cause d’elle, une épreuve te frappe, et que tu doives reconnaître devant son ange: “Je n’avais pas réfléchi!” As-tu besoin d’une promesse qui va irriter Dieu et t’amener des ennuis?
6 Where there are many dreams, there are many vanities and innumerable words. Yet truly, you must fear God.	6 C’est quand on rêve de trop qu’on s’engage à tout moment sans réfléchir: toi, aie la crainte de Dieu.
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.	7 Si tu vois dans la province le pauvre opprimé, le droit et la justice violés, ne t’effraie pas: au-dessus d’une autorité il y a un échelon supérieur, et au-dessus d’elles d’autres plus élevés.
8 But finally, there is the King who rules over the entire earth, which is subject to him.	8 Le pays ira de l’avant si le roi se met au service des campagnes.
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.	9 Celui qui aime l’argent n’aura jamais assez d’argent; qui aime la richesse n’en profitera pas. Là encore tout est déception.
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?	10 Là où la richesse se multiplie, on voit se multiplier ceux qui la mangent: le propriétaire la verra, il n’aura pas d’autre avantage.
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.	11 Le sommeil sera doux au travailleur, qu’il ait peu mangé ou beaucoup; le riche a beau être rassasié, il ne dormira pas pour autant.
12 There is even another most burdensome infirmity, which I have seen under the sun: wealth kept to the harm of the owner.	12 Il y a sous le soleil une autre malchance, et je l’ai vue: la richesse qu’un homme gardait pour son propre malheur.
13 For they are lost in a most grievous affliction. He has produced a son, who will be in the utmost destitution.	13 Il a perdu cette richesse dans une mauvaise affaire, il a un fils, et il n’a rien à lui laisser.
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.	14 L’homme est sorti nu du sein de sa mère, et il s’en retourne nu comme il était venu. Il n’emporte rien de tous les travaux que ses mains ont menés à bien.
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?	15 Cela encore est une vraie malchance: s’en aller dans le même état où l’on était venu. Qu’a-t-on gagné d’autre que d’avoir travaillé pour du vent?
16 All the days of his life he consumes: in darkness, and with many worries, and in distress as well as sadness.	16 Tant de jours où l’on a mangé son pain noir, tant de déceptions, de fatigues et de mécontentements!
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.	17 Voilà ce que je vois: tout le bien qu’il peut attendre, c’est de manger et de boire, de voir prospérer les travaux auxquels il a travaillé sous le soleil durant les jours comptés de sa vie, tels que Dieu les lui a accordés: voilà sa part.
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.	18 Lorsqu’un homme a reçu de Dieu possessions et richesses, lorsqu’il peut en manger, en jouir, et profiter de son travail, c’est là un don de Dieu.
19 And then he will not fully remember the days of his life, because God occupies his heart with delights.	19 Alors il ne songe plus au peu de durée de la vie: Dieu lui a mis de la joie plein le cœur.