1 M on fils, si tu reçois mes paroles, Et si tu gardes avec toi mes préceptes,

My son, if you receive my sayings and store up my teachings within you,

2 S i tu rends ton oreille attentive à la sagesse, Et si tu inclines ton coeur à l'intelligence;

make your ear open to wisdom. Turn your heart to understanding.

3 O ui, si tu appelles la sagesse, Et si tu élèves ta voix vers l'intelligence,

If you cry out to know right from wrong, and lift your voice for understanding;

4 S i tu la cherches comme l'argent, Si tu la poursuis comme un trésor,

if you look for her as silver, and look for her as hidden riches;

5 A lors tu comprendras la crainte de l'Éternel, Et tu trouveras la connaissance de Dieu.

then you will understand the fear of the Lord, and find what is known of God.

6 C ar l'Éternel donne la sagesse; De sa bouche sortent la connaissance et l'intelligence;

For the Lord gives wisdom. Much learning and understanding come from His mouth.

7 I l tient en réserve le salut pour les hommes droits, Un bouclier pour ceux qui marchent dans l'intégrité,

He stores up perfect wisdom for those who are right with Him. He is a safe-covering to those who are right in their walk.

8 E n protégeant les sentiers de la justice Et en gardant la voie de ses fidèles.

He watches over the right way, and He keeps safe the way of those who belong to Him.

9 A lors tu comprendras la justice, l'équité, La droiture, toutes les routes qui mènent au bien.

Then you will understand what is right and good, and right from wrong, and you will know what you should do.

10 C ar la sagesse viendra dans ton coeur, Et la connaissance fera les délices de ton âme;

For wisdom will come into your heart. And much learning will be pleasing to your soul.

11 L a réflexion veillera sur toi, L'intelligence te gardera,

Good thinking will keep you safe. Understanding will watch over you.

12 P our te délivrer de la voie du mal, De l'homme qui tient des discours pervers,

You will be kept from the sinful man, and from the man who causes much trouble by what he says.

13 D e ceux qui abandonnent les sentiers de la droiture Afin de marcher dans des chemins ténébreux,

You will be kept from the man who leaves the right way to walk in the ways of darkness,

14 Q ui trouvent de la jouissance à faire le mal, Qui mettent leur plaisir dans la perversité,

from the one who is happy doing wrong, and who finds joy in the way of sin.

15 Q ui suivent des sentiers détournés, Et qui prennent des routes tortueuses;

His ways are not straight and are not good.

16 P our te délivrer de la femme étrangère, De l'étrangère qui emploie des paroles doucereuses,

You will be saved from the strange woman, from the sinful woman with her smooth words.

17 Q ui abandonne l'ami de sa jeunesse, Et qui oublie l'alliance de son Dieu;

She leaves the husband she had when she was young, and forgets the agreement with her God.

18 C ar sa maison penche vers la mort, Et sa route mène chez les morts:

For her house goes down to death, and her steps lead to the dead.

19 A ucun de ceux qui vont à elle ne revient, Et ne retrouve les sentiers de la vie.

None who go to her return again, and they do not find the paths of life.

20 T u marcheras ainsi dans la voie des gens de bien, Tu garderas les sentiers des justes.

So may you walk in the way of good men, and keep to the paths of those who are right and good.

21 C ar les hommes droits habiteront le pays, Les hommes intègres y resteront;

For those who are right with God will live in the land. The men without blame will stay in it,

22 M ais les méchants seront retranchés du pays, Les infidèles en seront arrachés.

but the sinful will be destroyed from the land, and those who are not faithful will be taken away from it.