| | King James | | American std |
| 1 | So I returned, and considered all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold the tears of such as were oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors there was power; but they had no comforter. | Puis je me suis mis à considérer toutes les oppressions qui se commettent sous le soleil; et voici, les opprimés sont dans les larmes, et ils n'ont point de consolateur; la force est du côté de ceux qui les oppriment: pour eux, point de consolateur. | Then I returned and saw all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and, behold, the tears of such as were oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors there was power; but they had no comforter. |
| 2 | Wherefore I praised the dead which are already dead more than the living which are yet alive. | C'est pourquoi j'estime plus les morts qui sont déjà morts, que les vivants qui sont encore en vie; | Wherefore I praised the dead that have been long dead more than the living that are yet alive; |
| 3 | Yea, better is he than both they, which hath not yet been, who hath not seen the evil work that is done under the sun. | Et plus heureux que les uns et les autres, celui qui n'a pas encore existé, et qui n'a point vu les mauvaises actions qui se font sous le soleil. | yea, better than them both [did I esteem] him that hath not yet been, who hath not seen the evil work that is done under the sun. |
| 4 | Again, I considered all travail, and every right work, that for this a man is envied of his neighbour. This is also vanity and vexation of spirit. | J'ai vu aussi que tout travail et toute habileté dans le travail n'est que jalousie de l'un à l'égard de l'autre. Cela aussi est une vanité et un tourment d'esprit. | Then I saw all labor and every skilful work, that for this a man is envied of his neighbor. This also is vanity and a striving after wind. |
| 5 | The fool foldeth his hands together, and eateth his own flesh. | L'insensé se croise les mains et se consume lui-même: | The fool foldeth his hands together, and eateth his own flesh. |
| 6 | Better is an handful with quietness, than both the hands full with travail and vexation of spirit. | Mieux vaut plein le creux de la main avec repos, que plein les deux paumes, avec travail et tourment d'esprit. | Better is a handful, with quietness, than two handfuls with labor and striving after wind. |
| 7 | Then I returned, and I saw vanity under the sun. | Je me suis mis à regarder une autre vanité sous le soleil. | Then I returned and saw vanity under the sun. |
| 8 | There is one alone, and there is not a second; yea, he hath neither child nor brother: yet is there no end of all his labour; neither is his eye satisfied with riches; neither saith he, For whom do I labour, and bereave my soul of good? This is also vanity, yea, it is a sore travail. | Tel homme est seul, et n'a point de second; il n'a ni fils, ni frère, et toutefois, il n'y a point de fin à tout son travail; même ses yeux ne se rassasient jamais de richesses; il ne se dit point: Pour qui est-ce que je travaille et que je prive mon âme du bien? Cela aussi est une vanité et une pénible occupation. | There is one that is alone, and he hath not a second; yea, he hath neither son nor brother; yet is there no end of all his labor, neither are his eyes satisfied with riches. For whom then, [saith he], do I labor, and deprive my soul of good? This also is vanity, yea, it is a sore travail. |
| 9 | Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. | Deux valent mieux qu'un; parce qu'il y a pour eux un bon salaire de leur travail. | Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor. |
| 10 | For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up. | Car s'ils tombent, l'un peut relever l'autre; mais malheur à celui qui est seul, et qui tombe, et n'a personne pour le relever. | For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow; but woe to him that is alone when he falleth, and hath not another to lift him up. |
| 11 | Again, if two lie together, then they have heat: but how can one be warm alone? | De même si deux couchent ensemble, ils auront chaud; mais celui qui est seul, comment aura-t-il chaud? | Again, if two lie together, then they have warmth; but how can one be warm [alone]? |
| 12 | And if one prevail against him, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken. | Et si quelqu'un est plus fort qu'un seul, les deux pourront lui résister; et la corde à trois cordons ne se rompt pas si tôt. | And if a man prevail against him that is alone, two shall withstand him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken. |
| 13 | Better is a poor and a wise child than an old and foolish king, who will no more be admonished. | Mieux vaut un enfant pauvre et sage qu'un roi vieux et insensé, qui ne sait pas recevoir de conseil. | Better is a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king, who knoweth not how to receive admonition any more. |
| 14 | For out of prison he cometh to reign; whereas also he that is born in his kingdom becometh poor. | Car tel sort de prison pour régner; et de même, tel étant né roi, devient pauvre. | For out of prison he came forth to be king; yea, even in his kingdom he was born poor. |
| 15 | I considered all the living which walk under the sun, with the second child that shall stand up in his stead. | J'ai vu tous les vivants qui marchent sous le soleil, entourer l'enfant, le second après le roi, et qui le remplacera. | I saw all the living that walk under the sun, that they were with the youth, the second, that stood up in his stead. |
| 16 | There is no end of all the people, even of all that have been before them: they also that come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and vexation of spirit. | Et il n'y avait point de fin à tout le peuple, à tous ceux à la tête desquels il était; cependant ceux qui viendront après ne se réjouiront point à son sujet. Certainement, cela aussi est une vanité et un tourment d'esprit. | There was no end of all the people, even of all them over whom he was: yet they that come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and a striving after wind. |
