Proverbes 8
Segond 21
L’activité de la sagesse
8 La sagesse ne crie-t-elle pas?
L'intelligence ne parle-t-elle pas tout haut?
2 C'est au sommet des hauteurs dominant la route,
c'est à la croisée des chemins qu'elle se place.
3 A côté des portes, à l’entrée de la ville,
à l'intérieur des portes, elle crie:
4 «Hommes, c'est vous que j'appelle,
et ma voix s'adresse aux êtres humains.
5 Vous qui manquez d’expérience, apprenez le discernement!
Vous qui êtes stupides, apprenez le bon sens!
6 Ecoutez, car ce que je dis est capital
et j’ouvre mes lèvres avec droiture.
7 Oui, c'est la vérité que ma bouche proclame
et mes lèvres ont horreur de la méchanceté.
8 Toutes les paroles de ma bouche sont justes,
elles ne contiennent rien qui soit faux ou perverti.
9 Toutes sont exactes pour celui qui est intelligent,
et droites pour ceux qui ont trouvé la connaissance.
10 Préférez mes instructions à l'argent,
et la connaissance à l'or le plus précieux!
11 En effet, la sagesse vaut mieux que les perles,
elle a plus de valeur que tout ce qu’on pourrait désirer.
12 »Moi, la sagesse, j’habite le discernement
et je possède l’art de la réflexion.
13 Craindre l'Eternel, c'est détester le mal.
L'arrogance, l'orgueil, la voie du mal
et la bouche perverse, voilà ce que je déteste.
14 »C’est à moi qu’appartiennent le conseil et le succès.
Je suis l'intelligence, la puissance m’appartient.
15 Par moi les rois règnent
et les dirigeants ordonnent ce qui est juste,
16 par moi gouvernent les chefs,
les grands, tous les juges de la terre.
17 »J'aime ceux qui m'aiment,
et ceux qui me cherchent me trouvent.
18 Avec moi sont la richesse et la gloire,
les valeurs élevées et la justice.
19 Mon fruit est meilleur que l'or, que l'or pur,
et le profit qu'on tire de moi est préférable à l'argent.
20 Je marche sur le chemin de la justice,
au milieu des sentiers du droit,
21 pour donner des biens en héritage à ceux qui m'aiment
et pour remplir leurs trésors.
22 »L'Eternel me possédait au commencement[a] de son activité,
avant ses œuvres les plus anciennes.
23 J'ai été établie depuis l'éternité,
dès le début, avant même que la terre existe.
24 »J'ai été mise au monde quand il n'y avait pas de mer,
pas de source chargée d'eau.
25 Avant que les montagnes ne soient formées,
avant que les collines n’existent, j'ai été mise au monde.
26 Il n'avait encore fait ni la terre, ni les campagnes,
ni le premier grain de poussière du monde.
27 »Lorsqu'il a disposé le ciel, j'étais là;
lorsqu'il a tracé un cercle à la surface de l'abîme,
28 lorsqu'il a placé les nuages en haut
et que les sources de l'abîme ont jailli avec force,
29 lorsqu'il a fixé une limite à la mer
pour que l’eau n'en franchisse pas les bords,
lorsqu'il a tracé les fondations de la terre,
30 j'étais à l'œuvre à ses côtés.
Je faisais tous les jours son plaisir,
jouant constamment devant lui,
31 jouant dans le monde, sur sa terre,
et trouvant mon plaisir parmi les hommes.
32 »Et maintenant, mes fils, écoutez-moi!
Heureux ceux qui persévèrent dans mes voies!
33 Ecoutez l'instruction pour devenir sages,
ne la négligez pas!
34 Heureux l'homme qui m'écoute,
qui veille chaque jour sur mes portes
et qui garde l'entrée de ma maison!
35 »En effet, celui qui me trouve a trouvé la vie,
il a obtenu la faveur de l'Eternel.
36 En revanche, celui qui pèche contre moi se fait du tort à lui-même.
Tous ceux qui me détestent aiment la mort.»
Footnotes
- Proverbes 8:22 Au commencement: ou comme commencement.
Mishle 8
Orthodox Jewish Bible
8 Doth not Chochmah cry out? And Tevunah (understanding) put forth her voice?
2 In the top of high hills, beside the derech (road) in the bais netivot (meeting place of trodden paths, crossroads) nitzavah (she [Lady Wisdom, the lady street preacher] stands).
3 She crieth out at the she’arim (gates), at the entry of the city, at the entrance at the petachim (doorways):
4 Unto you, O ishim, I call out; and my voice is to the Bnei Adam.
5 O ye simple ones, understand armah (prudence); and, ye kesilim, understand in your lev.
6 Hear; for I will speak negidim (noble things, worthy [words]); and the opening of my sfatayim (lips) shall be meisharim (upright, fair things).
7 For my mouth shall speak emes; and resha is an abomination to my sfatayim (lips).
8 All the words of my peh (mouth) are in tzedek; there is nothing crooked or perverse in them.
9 They are all correct to him that discerneth, and yesharim (straight ones) to them that find da’as (knowledge).
10 Receive my musar, and not kesef; and da’as (knowledge) rather than choice gold.
11 For chochmah is tovah (better, more precious) than pearls; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it.
12 I, Chochmah, dwell with armah (prudence), and find out da’as (knowledge) of mezimot (discretions).
13 The Yirat Hashem is to hate rah; pride, and ga’on (arrogance), and the derech rah, and the perverse peh (mouth), do I hate.
14 Etzah (counsel, advice) is mine, and sound judgment; I am binah; I have gevurah.
15 By me melachim reign, and nobles decree tzedek.
16 By me sarim (princes) rule, and nobles, even all the shofetim of tzedek.
17 I love them that have ahavah for me; and those that seek me shall find me.
18 Osher and kavod are with me; indeed, enduring hon (wealth) and tzedakah.
19 My p’ri is better than gold, indeed, than fine gold; and my revenue than choice kesef.
20 I walk in the orach tzedakah (way of righteousness), in the midst of the netivot (paths) of mishpat,
21 That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance; and I will fill their otzarot.
22 Hashem possessed me in the reshit of His derech, before His works of old.
23 I was set up [to reign] me’olam (from eternity), from the beginning, or ever eretz was.
24 When there were no tehomot, I was brought forth; when there were no springs abounding with mayim.
25 Before the harim were settled, before the geva’ot (hills) was I brought forth;
26 While as yet He had not made eretz, nor the outer places, nor the beginning of the dust of the tevel.
27 When He set in place Shomayim, I was there; when He drew a khoog (circle, horizon) upon the face of the tehom,
28 When He established the clouds above, when He strengthened the fountains of the tehom,
29 When He gave to the yam His chok (decree, limits), that the mayim should not pass its limits, when He appointed the foundations of the Eretz;
30 Then I was etzel (at the side of, beside [see Yn 1:1]) Him, as an Amon (master craftsman, builder, architect, artist); and I was daily His delight, rejoicing always before Him [Mishle 30:4] ;
31 Rejoicing in the tevel of His Eretz; and my delights were with the Bnei Adam.
32 Now therefore pay heed unto me, O ye banim; for ashrei (blessed, happy) are they that are shomer over my drakhim.
33 Hear musar, and be chacham, and disdain it not.
34 Ashrei is adam that heareth me, watching daily at my dalatot, waiting at the mezuzot of my doors.
35 For whosoever findeth me findeth Chayyim, and shall obtain ratzon Hashem.
36 But he that sinneth against me doth chamas against his own nefesh; all they that hate me love mavet.
Proverbs 8
English Standard Version
The Blessings of Wisdom
8 Does not (A)wisdom call?
Does not (B)understanding raise her voice?
2 On (C)the heights beside the way,
at the crossroads she takes her stand;
3 beside (D)the gates in front of (E)the town,
at the entrance of the portals she cries aloud:
4 “To you, O (F)men, I call,
and my cry is to (G)the children of man.
5 O (H)simple ones, learn (I)prudence;
O (J)fools, learn sense.
6 Hear, for I will speak (K)noble things,
and from my lips will come (L)what is right,
7 for my (M)mouth will utter truth;
wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
8 All the words of my mouth are righteous;
there is nothing (N)twisted or crooked in them.
9 They are all (O)straight to him who understands,
and right to those who find knowledge.
10 (P)Take my instruction instead of silver,
and knowledge rather than choice gold,
11 (Q)for wisdom is better than jewels,
and (R)all that you may desire cannot compare with her.
12 “I, wisdom, dwell with prudence,
and I find knowledge and (S)discretion.
13 (T)The fear of the Lord is (U)hatred of evil.
(V)Pride and arrogance and the way of evil
and (W)perverted speech I hate.
14 I have (X)counsel and (Y)sound wisdom;
I have insight; (Z)I have strength.
15 By me (AA)kings reign,
and rulers decree what is just;
16 by me princes rule,
and nobles, all who govern justly.[a]
17 (AB)I love those who love me,
and (AC)those who seek me diligently find me.
18 (AD)Riches and honor are with me,
(AE)enduring wealth and (AF)righteousness.
19 My fruit is (AG)better than (AH)gold, even fine gold,
and my yield than (AI)choice silver.
20 I walk in the way of righteousness,
in the paths of justice,
21 granting an inheritance to those who love me,
and filling their treasuries.
22 (AJ)“The Lord (AK)possessed[b] me at the beginning of his work,[c]
the first of his acts (AL)of old.
23 Ages ago I was (AM)set up,
at the first, (AN)before the beginning of the earth.
24 When there were no (AO)depths I was (AP)brought forth,
when there were no springs abounding with water.
25 Before the mountains (AQ)had been shaped,
(AR)before the hills, I was brought forth,
26 before he had made the earth with its fields,
or the first of the dust of the world.
27 When he (AS)established the heavens, I was there;
when he drew (AT)a circle on the face of the deep,
28 when he (AU)made firm the skies above,
when he established[d] the fountains of the deep,
29 when he (AV)assigned to the sea its (AW)limit,
so that the waters might not transgress his command,
when he marked out (AX)the foundations of the earth,
30 then (AY)I was beside him, like a master workman,
and I was daily his[e] (AZ)delight,
rejoicing before him always,
31 (BA)rejoicing in his (BB)inhabited world
and delighting in the children of man.
32 “And now, (BC)O sons, listen to me:
(BD)blessed are those who keep my ways.
33 (BE)Hear instruction and be wise,
and do not neglect it.
34 (BF)Blessed is the one who listens to me,
watching daily at my gates,
waiting beside my doors.
35 For (BG)whoever finds me (BH)finds life
and (BI)obtains favor from the Lord,
36 but he who fails to find me (BJ)injures himself;
all who (BK)hate me (BL)love death.”
Footnotes
- Proverbs 8:16 Most Hebrew manuscripts; many Hebrew manuscripts, Septuagint govern the earth
- Proverbs 8:22 Or fathered; Septuagint created
- Proverbs 8:22 Hebrew way
- Proverbs 8:28 The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain
- Proverbs 8:30 Or daily filled with
Version Segond 21 Copyright © 2007 Société Biblique de Genève by Société Biblique de Genève
Copyright © 2002, 2003, 2008, 2010, 2011 by Artists for Israel International
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
