Proverbs 4 — parallel

4:1

Écoutez, mes fils, l’instruction d’un père,

Listen, my sons, to a father’s instruction; pay attention and gain understanding.

4:2

Car je vous donne de bons conseils:

For I give you sound teaching; do not abandon my directive.

4:3

J’étais un fils pour mon père,

When I was a son to my father, tender and the only child of my mother,

4:4

Il m’instruisait alors, et il me disait:

he taught me and said, “Let your heart lay hold of my words; keep my commands and you will live.

4:5

Acquiers la sagesse, acquiers l’intelligence;

Get wisdom, get understanding; do not forget my words or turn from them.

4:6

Ne l’abandonne pas, et elle te gardera;

Do not forsake wisdom, and she will preserve you; love her, and she will guard you.

4:7

Voici le commencement de la sagesse:

Wisdom is supreme; so acquire wisdom. And whatever , gain understanding.

4:8

Exalte-la, et elle t’élèvera;

Prize her, and she will exalt you; if you embrace her, she will honor you.

4:9

Elle mettra sur ta tête une couronne de grâce,

She will set a garland of grace on your head; she will present you with a crown of beauty.”

4:10

Écoute, mon fils, et reçois mes paroles;

Listen, my son, and receive my words, and the years of your life will be many.

4:11

Je te montre la voie de la sagesse,

I will guide you in the way of wisdom; I will lead you on straight paths.

4:12

Si tu marches, ton pas ne sera point gêné;

When you walk, your steps will not be impeded; when you run, you will not stumble.

4:13

Retiens l’instruction, ne t’en dessaisis pas;

Hold on to instruction; do not let go. Guard it, for it is your life.

4:14

N’entre pas dans le sentier des méchants,

Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evildoers.

4:15

Évite-la, n’y passe point;

Avoid it; do not travel on it. Turn from it and pass on by.

4:16

Car ils ne dormiraient pas s’ils n’avaient fait le mal,

For they cannot sleep unless they do evil; they are deprived of slumber until they make someone fall.

4:17

Car c’est le pain de la méchanceté qu’ils mangent,

For they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.

4:18

Le sentier des justes est comme la lumière resplendissante,

The path of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, shining brighter and brighter until midday.

4:19

La voie des méchants est comme les ténèbres;

But the way of the wicked is like the darkest gloom; they do not know what makes them stumble.

4:20

Mon fils, sois attentif à mes paroles,

My son, pay attention to my words; incline your ear to my sayings.

4:21

Qu’ils ne s’éloignent pas de tes yeux;

Do not lose sight of them; keep them within your heart.

4:22

Car c’est la vie pour ceux qui les trouvent,

For they are life to those who find them, and health to the whole body.

4:23

Garde ton cœur plus que toute autre chose,

Guard your heart with all diligence, for from it flow springs of life.

4:24

Écarte de ta bouche la fausseté,

Put away deception from your mouth; keep your lips from perverse speech.

4:25

Que tes yeux regardent en face,

Let your eyes look forward; fix your gaze straight ahead.

4:26

Considère le chemin par où tu passes,

Make a level path , and all your ways will be sure.

4:27

N’incline ni à droite ni à gauche,

Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your feet away from evil.