| | | Abbé Crampon | |
| 1 | Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour: so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour. | Des mouches mortes infectent et corrompent l'huile du parfumeur. De même, un peu de folie l'emporte sur la sagesse et la gloire. | Dead flies cause the oil of the perfumer to send forth an evil odor; [so] doth a little folly outweigh wisdom and honor. |
| 2 | A wise man's heart is at his right hand; but a fool's heart at his left. | Le coeur du sage est à sa droite, et le coeur de l'insensé, à sa gauche. | A wise man`s heart is at his right hand; but a fool`s heart at his left. |
| 3 | Yea also, when he that is a fool walketh by the way, his wisdom faileth him, and he saith to every one that he is a fool. | Et aussi, quand l'insensé va dans le chemin, le sens lui manque, et il montre à tous qu'il est fou. | Yea also, when the fool walketh by the way, his understanding faileth him, and he saith to every one [that] he is a fool. |
| 4 | If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for yielding pacifieth great offences. | Si l'esprit du prince s'élève contre toi, ne quitte point ta place; car le calme prévient de grandes fautes. | If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for gentleness allayeth great offences. |
| 5 | There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, as an error which proceedeth from the ruler: | Il est un mal que j'ai vu sous le soleil, comme une erreur qui provient du souverain : | There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, as it were an error which proceedeth from the ruler: |
| 6 | Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in low place. | La folie occupe les postes élevés, et des riches sont assis dans de basses conditions. | folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in a low place. |
| 7 | I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth. | J'ai vu des esclaves portés sur des chevaux, et des princes aller à pied comme des esclaves. Accidents et sagesse. | I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking like servants upon the earth. |
| 8 | He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him. | Celui qui creuse une fosse peut y tomber, et celui qui renverse une muraille peut être mordu par un serpent. | He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh through a wall, a serpent shall bite him. |
| 9 | Whoso removeth stones shall be hurt therewith; and he that cleaveth wood shall be endangered thereby. | Celui qui détache des pierres peut être blessé, et celui qui fend du bois peut se faire mal. | Whoso heweth out stones shall be hurt therewith; [and] he that cleaveth wood is endangered thereby. |
| 10 | If the iron be blunt, and he do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength: but wisdom is profitable to direct. | Si le fer est émoussé et si l'on n'a pas aiguisé le tranchant, on devra redoubler de force; mais la sagesse est préférable pour le succès. | If the iron be blunt, and one do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength: but wisdom is profitable to direct. |
| 11 | Surely the serpent will bite without enchantment; and a babbler is no better. | Si le serpent mord faute d'enchantement, il n'y a pas d'avantage pour l'enchanteur. Sage et insensé. | If the serpent bite before it is charmed, then is there no advantage in the charmer. |
| 12 | The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself. | Les paroles de la bouche du sage sont pleines de grâce; mais les lèvres de l'insensé le dévorent. | The words of a wise man`s mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself. |
| 13 | The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness: and the end of his talk is mischievous madness. | Le commencement des paroles de sa bouche est sottise, et la fin de son discours est démence furieuse. | The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness; and the end of his talk is mischievous madness. |
| 14 | A fool also is full of words: a man cannot tell what shall be; and what shall be after him, who can tell him? | Et l'insensé multiplie les paroles!… L'homme ne sait pas ce qui arrivera, et qui lui dira ce qui sera après lui ? | A fool also multiplieth words: [yet] man knoweth not what shall be; and that which shall be after him, who can tell him? |
| 15 | The labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them, because he knoweth not how to go to the city. | Le travail de l'insensé le fatigue, lui qui ne sait pas même aller à la ville. Rois et princes. | The labor of fools wearieth every one of them; for he knoweth not how to go to the city. |
| 16 | Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy princes eat in the morning! | Malheur à toi, pays dont le roi est un enfant, et dont les princes mangent dès le matin! | Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy princes eat in the morning! |
| 17 | Blessed art thou, O land, when thy king is the son of nobles, and thy princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness! | Heureux es-tu, pays dont le roi est fils de nobles, et dont les princes mangent au temps convenable, pour soutenir leurs forces, et non pour se livrer à la boisson. Paresse et tempérance. | Happy art thou, O land, when thy king is the son of nobles, and thy princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness! |
| 18 | By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through. | Quand les mains sont paresseuses, la charpente s'affaisse, et quand les mains sont lâches, la maison ruisselle. | By slothfulness the roof sinketh in; and through idleness of the hands the house leaketh. |
| 19 | A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh merry: but money answereth all things. | On fait des repas pour goûter le plaisir; le vin rend la vie joyeuse, et l'argent répond à tout! Réserve au sujet des grands. | A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh glad the life; and money answereth all things. |
| 20 | Curse not the king, no not in thy thought; and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber: for a bird of the air shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter. | Même dans ta pensée, ne maudis pas le roi, même dans ta chambre à coucher ne maudis pas le puissant; car l'oiseau du ciel emporterait ta voix, et l'animal ailé publierait tes paroles. Activité prudente. | Revile not the king, no, not in thy thought; and revile not the rich in thy bedchamber: for a bird of the heavens shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter. |
