Sirach 16

CATHOLIC PUBLIC DOMAIN	BIBLES DES PEUPLES
1 You should not rejoice in impious children, if they are successful; nor should you take delight in them, if the fear of God is not in them.	1 Ne désire pas que tes enfants soient nombreux, s’ils doivent être inutiles; ne mets pas en eux ta joie s’ils sont impies.
2 You should not approve of their life, nor should you look with favor on their labors.	2 Aussi nombreux qu’ils soient, ne t’en réjouis pas s’ils n’ont pas la crainte de Dieu.
3 For one child who fears God is better than one thousand impious children.	3 Peu t’importe qu’ils soient nombreux et qu’ils aient longue vie, car un seul parfois vaut mieux que mille, et mieux vaut pour eux mourir que d’être des impies.
4 And it is better to die without children, than to leave behind impious children.	4 Un homme de bon sens, et c’est assez pour qu’une ville prospère; mais les mauvais ont beau se multiplier, ils seront anéantis.
5 By means one person with understanding, a country will be inhabited. The tribe of the impious will become desolate.	5 J’en ai vu de mes yeux beaucoup d’exemples, et on m’en a conté de plus frappants encore:
6 Many such things my eyes have seen, and greater things than these my ear has heard.	6 Un feu est tombé sur une bande de pécheurs, la colère du Seigneur s’est enflammée contre une race rebelle.
7 In the synagogue of sinners, a fire will blaze forth; and amid an unbelieving people, wrath will flare up.	7 Il n’a pas pardonné aux héros d’autrefois quand ils se révoltèrent, orgueilleux de leur force.
8 The giants of antiquity did not obtain pardon for their sins; they were destroyed by trusting in their own abilities.	8 Il n’a pas épargné la cité où vivait Lot: il détestait ces orgueilleux.
9 And he did not spare the place of Lot’s sojourn, and he abhorred them because of the arrogance of their words.	9 Il n’a pas eu pitié de cette nation vouée à la destruction: ils furent anéantis à cause de leurs péchés.
10 He did not take pity on them, destroying an entire people, who even extolled themselves concerning their sins.	10 Il a agi de même avec 600 000 hommes qui, d’un cœur obstiné, refusaient d’obéir.
11 And this was so with six hundred thousand men, who were gathered together in the hardness of their hearts. And if even a single obstinate person had escaped unpunished, it would be a wonder.	11 Même s’il n’y en avait eu qu’un seul à s’obstiner, il aurait été étonnant qu’il reste impuni. Car au Seigneur appartiennent la miséricorde et la colère: il est puissant pour pardonner comme pour punir.
12 For mercy and wrath are with him. He is powerful in forgiveness, and he pours forth wrath.	12 Sa miséricorde est grande, comme l’est sa justice; il juge les hommes selon leurs actes.
13 As is his mercy, so also is his correction; he judges a man according to his works.	13 Le pécheur n’échappera pas avec son butin, et la patience du fidèle ne sera pas sans récompense.
14 The sinner, in his violations, will not escape; but the patience of the One who shows mercy will not be diminished.	14 Dieu récompensera tout geste charitable, et chacun sera traité selon ses actions.
15 Every mercy will make a place for each man, according to the merit of his works, and according to the understanding of his sojourn.	15 NO TEXT
16 You should not say: “I am hidden from God,” or, “Who, from on high, will take note of me?”	16 NO TEXT
17 or, “Among a great number of people, I will not be noticed. For what is my soul amid such an immense creation?”	17 Ne dis pas: “Je me cacherai loin du Seigneur! Là-haut, qui se souviendra de moi? On ne me reconnaîtra pas au milieu de la foule: que suis-je dans l’immensité de la création?”
18 Behold: the heavens, and the heaven of the heavens, the abyss, and the entire earth, and the things that are within these, will be shaken by his gaze,	18 Vois: quand il paraît, le ciel lui-même en tremble, et les cieux d’au-dessus des cieux, ainsi que la terre et les mers.
19 together with mountains and hills, and the foundations of the earth. When God casts his gaze upon them, they will be struck with trembling.	19 Les montagnes et les fondements de la terre sont pleins d’effroi sous son regard.
20 And concerning all these things, the heart is without understanding; but every heart is understood by him.	20 Mais personne n’y réfléchit: qui donc s’intéresse à la manière d’agir de Dieu?
21 And who will understand his ways, or the tempest, which no eye of man will see?	21 La plupart de ses interventions passent inaperçues, et l’on ne sait pas d’où est venue la tempête.
22 For many of his works are concealed. But who will announce the works of his justice? Or who will endure them? For the testament is far from some persons, and the examination of each thing is in its end.	22 “Qui nous parle d’interventions de Dieu? Qui les attend? L’alliance est loin maintenant”.
23 Whoever diminishes the heart, thinks empty thoughts. For the imprudent and erring man thinks up foolishness.	23 Voilà ce que pense celui qui ne réfléchit pas, celui qui n’a pas de jugement, celui qui est corrompu et vit de ses illusions.
24 Listen to me, son, and learn the discipline of understanding, and attend to my words in your heart.	24 Écoutez-moi, mes enfants: apprenez et prenez à cœur ce que je vais dire.
25 And I will speak with equity about discipline, and I will strive to announce wisdom. So attend to my words in your heart, and I will speak with equity of spirit, about the virtues that God has set within his works from the beginning, and I will announce his knowledge in truth.	25 Je veux exposer pas à pas la doctrine et transmettre soigneusement le savoir.
26 With the judgment of God, his works have been done from the beginning; and from their institution, he himself distinguished their parts and set their beginnings, in their kinds.	26 Dès l’origine les œuvres du Seigneur ont répondu à un dessein; sitôt faites, il leur a assigné à chacune sa place.
27 He has beautified their works unto eternity. They have neither hungered, nor labored, and they have not ceased from their works.	27 Il a ordonné ses créatures pour la durée des temps, leur fixant un départ et un devenir. Elles n’ont jamais faim, elles ne se fatiguent pas, elles ne s’arrêtent pas dans leur tâche.
28 Neither will any one of them cause anguish to his neighbor, forever.	28 Les objets célestes ne choquent pas leurs voisins, ils ne désobéissent jamais à ses ordres.
29 You should not be incredulous at his word.	29 Après cela le Seigneur a regardé en bas, vers la terre, et il l’a comblée de ses richesses.
30 Afterward, God looked with favor upon the earth, and he filled it with his goodness.	30 Il lui a donné une âme, il l’a couverte d’êtres vivants, et tous retournent à la terre.
31 The soul of every living thing brought word from before his face, and their return again is to him.