Livre des Proverbes 26

JERUSALEM	CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN
1 Pas plus que la neige à l'été ou la pluie à la moisson, les honneurs ne conviennent au sot.	1 In the manner of snow in the summer, and rain at the harvest, so also is glory unfit for the foolish.
2 Le passereau s'échappe, l'hirondelle s'envole, ainsi la malédiction gratuite n'atteint pas son but.	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, pour l'échine des sots, le bâton.	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 répond pas à l'insensé selon sa folie, de peur de lui devenir semblable, toi aussi.	4 Do not respond to the foolish according to his folly, lest you become like him.
5 Réponds à l'insensé selon sa folie, de peur qu'il ne soit sage à ses propres yeux.	5 Respond to the foolish according to his folly, lest he imagine himself to be wise.
6 Il se mutile, il s'abreuve de violence, celui qui envoie un message par l'entremise d'un sot.	6 Whoever sends words by a foolish messenger has lame feet and drinks iniquity.
7 Mal assurées, les jambes du boiteux; ainsi un proverbe dans la bouche des sots.	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 C'est attacher la pierre à la fronde que de rendre honneur à un sot.	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 ronce pousse dans la main d'un ivrogne comme un proverbe 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 archer blessant tout le monde: tel est celui qui embauche le sot et l'ivrogne qui passent.	10 Judgment determines cases. And whoever imposes silence on the foolish mitigates anger.
11 Comme le chien revient à son vomissement, le sot retourne à sa folie.	11 Like a dog that returns to his vomit, so also is the imprudent who repeats his foolishness.
12 Tu vois un homme sage à ses propres yeux? Il y a plus à espérer d'un insensé.	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: "Un fauve sur le chemin! un lion par les rues!"	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 sur son lit le paresseux.	14 Just as a door turns upon its hinges, so also does the lazy one turn upon his bed.
15 Le paresseux plonge la main dans le plat: la ramener à sa bouche le fatigue!	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 est plus sage à ses propres yeux que sept personnes répondant avec tact.	16 The lazy one seems wiser to himself than seven men speaking judgments.
17 Il prend par les oreilles un chien qui passe, celui qui s'immisce dans une querelle étrangère.	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 homme pris de folie qui lance des traits enflammés, des flèches et la mort:	18 Just as he is guilty who let loose the arrows and the lances unto death,
19 tel est l'homme qui ment à son compagnon, puis dit: "N'était-ce pas pour plaisanter?"	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 Faute de bois, le feu s'éteint, faute de calomniateur, 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 Du charbon sur les braises, du bois sur le feu, tel est l'homme querelleur pour attiser lesdisputes.	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 dires du calomniateur sont de friands morceaux qui descendent jusqu'au fond des entrailles.	22 The words of a whisperer seem simple, but they penetrate to the innermost parts of the self.
23 De l'argent non purifié appliqué sur de l'argile: tels sont lèvres brûlantes et coeur mauvais.	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 hait donne le change par ses propos, mais en son sein gît la tromperie;	24 An enemy is known by his lips, though it is from his heart that he draws out deceit.
25 s'il prend un ton cauteleux, ne t'y fie pas, car en son coeur il y a sept abominations.	25 When he will have lowered his voice, do not believe him, for there are seven vices in his heart.
26 La haine peut s'envelopper de ruse, elle révélera sa méchanceté dans l'assemblée.	26 Whoever covers hatred with deceit, his malice shall be revealed in the assembly.
27 Qui creuse une fosse y tombe, qui roule une roche, elle revient sur lui.	27 Whoever digs a pit will fall into it. And whoever rolls a stone, it will roll back to him.
28 La langue menteuse hait ses victimes, la bouche enjôleuse provoque la chute.	28 A false tongue does not love truth. And a slippery mouth works ruin.