| | | Ostervald | |
| 1 | A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one's birth. | Une bonne réputation vaut mieux que le bon parfum; et le jour de la mort, que le jour de la naissance. | A [good] name is better than precious oil; and the day of death, than the day of one`s birth. |
| 2 | It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart. | Mieux vaut aller dans une maison de deuil, que d'aller dans une maison de festin; car là est la fin de tout homme, et celui qui vit met cela dans son coeur. | It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart. |
| 3 | Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better. | Mieux vaut la tristesse que le rire; car, par la tristesse du visage, le coeur devient joyeux. | Sorrow is better than laughter; for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made glad. |
| 4 | The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth. | Le coeur des sages est dans la maison de deuil; mais le coeur des insensés est dans la maison de joie. | The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth. |
| 5 | It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools. | Mieux vaux entendre la répréhension du sage, que d'entendre la chanson des insensés. | It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools. |
| 6 | For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity. | Car tel qu'est le bruit des épines sous la chaudière, tel est le rire de l'insensé. Cela aussi est une vanité. | For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity. |
| 7 | Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad; and a gift destroyeth the heart. | Certainement l'oppression peut faire perdre le sens au sage; et le présent corrompt le coeur. | Surely extortion maketh the wise man foolish; and a bribe destroyeth the understanding. |
| 8 | Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit. | Mieux vaut la fin d'une chose que son commencement; mieux vaut un esprit patient qu'un esprit hautain. | Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof; [and] the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit. |
| 9 | Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools. | Ne te hâte point dans ton esprit de t'irriter; car l'irritation repose dans le sein des insensés. | Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry; for anger resteth in the bosom of fools. |
| 10 | Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not enquire wisely concerning this. | Ne dis point: D'où vient que les jours passés étaient meilleurs que ceux-ci? Car ce n'est point par sagesse que tu t'enquiers de cela. | Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not inquire wisely concerning this. |
| 11 | Wisdom is good with an inheritance: and by it there is profit to them that see the sun. | La sagesse est aussi bonne qu'un héritage; elle est un avantage pour ceux qui voient le soleil. | Wisdom is as good as an inheritance; yea, more excellent is it for them that see the sun. |
| 12 | For wisdom is a defence, and money is a defence: but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom giveth life to them that have it. | Car on est à couvert à l'ombre de la sagesse et à l'ombre de l'argent; mais la science a cet avantage, que la sagesse fait vivre celui qui la possède. | For wisdom is a defence, even as money is a defence; but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom preserveth the life of him that hath it. |
| 13 | Consider the work of God: for who can make that straight, which he hath made crooked? | Regarde l'oeuvre de Dieu; car qui peut redresser ce qu'il aura courbé? | Consider the work of God: for who can make that straight, which he hath made crooked? |
| 14 | In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: God also hath set the one over against the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him. | Au jour de la prospérité, sois joyeux; et au jour de l'adversité, prends-y garde; aussi Dieu a fait l'un comme l'autre, afin que l'homme ne trouve rien de ce qui sera après lui. | In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider; yea, God hath made the one side by side with the other, to the end that man should not find out anything [that shall be] after him. |
| 15 | All things have I seen in the days of my vanity: there is a just man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth his life in his wickedness. | J'ai vu tout ceci pendant les jours de ma vanité. Il y a tel juste qui périt dans sa justice, et il y a tel méchant qui prolonge ses jours dans sa méchanceté. | All this have I seen in my days of vanity: there is a righteous man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth [his life] in his evil-doing. |
| 16 | Be not righteous over much; neither make thyself over wise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself ? | Ne sois pas juste à l'excès, et ne te fais pas trop sage; pourquoi te perdrais-tu? | Be not righteous overmuch; neither make thyself overwise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself? |
| 17 | Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time? | Ne sois pas méchant à l'excès, et ne sois point insensé; pourquoi mourrais-tu avant ton temps? | Be not overmuch wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time? |
| 18 | It is good that thou shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from this withdraw not thine hand: for he that feareth God shall come forth of them all. | Il est bon que tu retiennes ceci, et que tu ne négliges pas cela; car celui qui craint Dieu, sort de toutes ces choses. | It is good that thou shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from that withdraw not thy hand: for he that feareth God shall come forth from them all. |
| 19 | Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty men which are in the city. | La sagesse donne plus de force au sage que dix gouverneurs qui seraient dans une ville. | Wisdom is a strength to the wise man more than ten rulers that are in a city. |
| 20 | For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not. | Certainement il n'y a point d'homme juste sur la terre, qui fasse le bien et qui ne pèche point. | Surely there is not a righteous man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not. |
| 21 | Also take no heed unto all words that are spoken; lest thou hear thy servant curse thee: | Aussi ne fais point attention à toutes les paroles qu'on dira, de peur que tu n'entendes ton serviteur parler mal de toi. | Also take not heed unto all words that are spoken, lest thou hear thy servant curse thee; |
| 22 | For oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others. | Car ton coeur a reconnu bien des fois que toi aussi tu as mal parlé des autres. | for oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others. |
| 23 | All this have I proved by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me. | J'ai éprouvé tout cela par la sagesse; et j'ai dit: J'acquerrai de la sagesse; mais elle s'est éloignée de moi. | All this have I proved in wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me. |
| 24 | That which is far off, and exceeding deep, who can find it out? | Ce qui est loin, ce qui est profond, profond, qui peut l'atteindre? | That which is, is far off and exceeding deep; who can find it out? |
| 25 | I applied mine heart to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and the reason of things, and to know the wickedness of folly, even of foolishness and madness: | J'ai appliqué mon coeur à connaître, à sonder et à chercher la sagesse et la raison de tout, et à connaître la méchanceté de la folie, et la sottise de la déraison. | I turned about, and my heart [was set] to know and to search out, and to seek wisdom and the reason [of things], and to know that wickedness is folly, and that foolishness is madness. |
| 26 | And I find more bitter than death the woman, whose heart is snares and nets, and her hands as bands: whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her. | Et j'ai trouvé plus amère que la mort, la femme dont le coeur est un piège et un filet, et dont les mains sont des liens; celui qui est agréable à Dieu lui échappera; mais le pécheur sera pris par elle. | And I find more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and nets, [and] whose hands are bands: whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her. |
| 27 | Behold, this have I found, saith the preacher, counting one by one, to find out the account: | Voici, dit l'Ecclésiaste, ce que j'ai trouvé, en examinant les choses une à une pour en trouver la raison. | Behold, this have I found, saith the Preacher, [laying] one thing to another, to find out the account; |
| 28 | Which yet my soul seeketh, but I find not: one man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I not found. | Voici ce que mon âme cherche encore, mais que je n'ai point trouvé. J'ai trouvé un homme entre mille; mais je n'ai pas trouvé une femme entre elles toutes. | which my soul still seeketh, but I have not found: one man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I not found. |
| 29 | Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions. | Seulement voici ce que j'ai trouvé: c'est que Dieu a fait l'homme droit; mais ils ont cherché beaucoup de discours. | Behold, this only have I found: that God made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions. |
