| 1 Faisons maintenant l’éloge des hommes illustres, de nos ancêtres l’un après l’autre. | 1 Let us now praise famous men, and our fathers in their generations. |
| 2 Le Seigneur leur a donné une belle gloire, une partie de sa gloire éternelle. | 2 The Lord apportioned to them great glory, his majesty from the beginning. |
| 3 Les uns furent souverains dans leur royaume, des hommes renommés pour leur énergie; d’autres ont poussé aux sages décisions, ont parlé en prophètes. | 3 There were those who ruled in their kingdoms, and were men renowned for their power, giving counsel by their understanding, and proclaiming prophecies; |
| 4 D’autres ont guidé le peuple par leurs avis, l’ont enseigné par leurs propos pleins de sagesse. | 4 leaders of the people in their deliberations and in understanding of learning for the people, wise in their words of instruction; |
| 5 D’autres ont cultivé la musique, la poésie et l’art d’écrire. | 5 those who composed musical tunes, and set forth verses in writing; |
| 6 D’autres encore étaient des hommes riches, des gens puissants qui connurent la paix dans leurs domaines. | 6 rich men furnished with resources, |
| 7 Tous ont connu la gloire en leur temps: ils étaient un sujet de fierté pour leurs contemporains. | 7 living peaceably in their habitations all these were honored in their generations, and were the glory of their times. |
| 8 Certains d’entre eux ont laissé un nom, on redit encore leurs louanges. | 8 There are some of them who have left a name, so that men declare their praise. |
| 9 D’autres sont tombés dans l’oubli, ont disparu; ce serait pareil s’ils n’avaient pas existé, et de même pour leurs descendants. | 9 And there are some who have no memorial, who have perished as though they had not lived; they have become as though they had not been born, and so have their children after them. |
| 10 Mais parlons des hommes de bien dont l’action bénéfique n’a pas été oubliée. | 10 But these were men of mercy, whose righteous deeds have not been forgotten; |
| 11 Leurs descendants ont hérité de ce bel héritage. | 11 their prosperity will remain with their descendants, and their inheritance to their children's children. |
| 12 Leur race tient fidèlement à l’Alliance, leurs enfants suivent leur exemple. | 12 Their descendants stand by the covenants; their children also, for their sake. |
| 13 Leur race durera à jamais, leur gloire ne sera pas effacée. | 13 Their posterity will continue for ever, and their glory will not be blotted out. |
| 14 Leurs corps ont été ensevelis dans la paix mais leur nom est vivant pour toutes les générations. | 14 Their bodies were buried in peace, and their name lives to all generations. |
| 15 Les peuples se racontent leur sagesse et l’assemblée proclame leur louange. | 15 Peoples will declare their wisdom, and the congregation proclaims their praise. |
| 16 Hénok plaisait au Seigneur et fut enlevé: bel exemple de conversion pour les hommes de tous les temps. | 16 Enoch pleased the Lord, and was taken up; he was an example of repentance to all generations. |
| 17 Noé fut trouvé juste, parfait: il fut l’instrument de la réconciliation au temps de la Colère; grâce à lui un reste fut épargné sur la terre lorsque vint le déluge. | 17 Noah was found perfect and righteous; in the time of wrath he was taken in exchange; therefore a remnant was left to the earth when the flood came. |
| 18 Le Seigneur s’engagea avec lui pour toujours: il ne détruirait plus par les eaux l’ensemble des vivants. | 18 Everlasting covenants were made with him that all flesh should not be blotted out by a flood. |
| 19 Abraham est le père illustre d’une multitude de nations; personne n’a jamais égalé sa gloire. | 19 Abraham was the great father of a multitude of nations, and no one has been found like him in glory; |
| 20 Il a observé la Loi du Très-Haut qui l’a fait entrer dans son alliance; cette alliance fut inscrite dans sa chair; il resta fidèle au jour de l’épreuve. | 20 he kept the law of the Most High, and was taken into covenant with him; he established the covenant in his flesh, and when he was tested he was found faithful. |
| 21 C’est pourquoi Dieu lui fit un serment: toutes les nations seraient bénies dans sa descendance, il le multiplierait comme la poussière du sol, il élèverait jusqu’aux étoiles sa descendance, sa postérité aurait pour domaine d’une mer à l’autre, depuis l’Euphrate jusqu’où finissent les terres au couchant. | 21 Therefore the Lord assured him by an oath that the nations would be blessed through his posterity; that he would multiply him like the dust of the earth, and exalt his posterity like the stars, and cause them to inherit from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth. |
| 22 À Isaac il renouvela cette promesse, à cause d’Abraham son père. | 22 To Isaac also he gave the same assurance for the sake of Abraham his father. |
| 23 Puis il fit reposer sur la tête de Jacob la bénédiction pour tous les hommes, ainsi que l’alliance; il le bénit personnellement et lui donna le pays en héritage. Il en divisa les parts et les distribua entre les douze tribus. | 23 The blessing of all men and the covenant he made to rest upon the head of Jacob; he acknowledged him with his blessings, and gave him his inheritance; he determined his portions, and distributed them among twelve tribes. |
