Ecclesiastes 10
1 Dead flies cause a perfumer’s perfume To send forth a stink; The precious by reason of wisdom—By reason of honor—a little folly!
Mampitrotrotse ty menam-pañemboke ty laletse mate; le mavesatse te ami’ty hihitse naho ty asiñe, ty hagegeañe kede.
2 The heart of the wise [is] at his right hand, And the heart of a fool at his left.
Mitolike mb’an-kavàna ty arofo’ i mahihitsey, mb’ankavia ka ty tro’ i dagolay.
3 And also, when he that is a fool Is walking in the way, his heart is lacking, And he has said to everyone, “He [is] a fool.”
Ndra te mijelanjelañe an-dalañe eo ty derendereñe, kanao po-hilala, aboa’e amy màroy ty hagegea’e.
4 If the spirit of the ruler goes up against you, do not leave your place, For yielding quiets great sinners.
Naho miforoforo ama’o ty haviñera’ ty mpifehe, ko apo’o ty toe’o, amy te mañafa-tsirìka-mena ty hamora-fo.
5 There is an evil I have seen under the sun, As ignorance that goes out from the ruler,
Eo ty haratiañe nitendrek’ahy ambane’ i àndroy, hoe lilatse aboa’ ty mpifehe.
6 He has set the fool in many high places, And the rich sits in a low place.
Onjoneñe mb’an-toetse ambone ty seretse maro, ie mitozoke ambane eo o mpañalealeo.
7 I have seen servants on horses, And princes walking as servants on the earth.
Nahatrea ondevo miningi-tsoavala iraho, vaho ty ana-donake mañavelo an-tane eo hoe ondevo.
8 Whoever is digging a pit falls into it, And whoever is breaking a hedge, a serpent bites him.
Mete hivariñe ama’e ao ty mihaly koboñe; naho mete hehere’ ty mereñe ze misorodidy kijoly.
9 Whoever is removing stones is grieved by them, Whoever is cleaving trees endangered by them.
Mete joie’ ty vato ty mihaly aze; le mete hizo fere ty mampitserake hatae.
10 If the iron has been blunt, And he has not sharpened the face, Then he increases strength, And wisdom [is] advantageous to make right.
Naho malomo ty viñe, ie tsy sioña’e ty lela’e, le añ’ozatse ambone ty ifanehafa’e; lombolombo’e ty hihitse mahatafetetse.
11 If the serpent bites without enchantment, Then there is no advantage to a master of the tongue.
Ie hehere’ ty mereñe tsy nampipendreñeñe; le an-koheke i mpitroboy.
12 Words of the mouth of the wise [are] gracious, And the lips of a fool swallow him up.
Matarike o entam-palie’ i mahihitseio, fe mampibotseke ty dagola o soñi’eo.
13 The beginning of the words of his mouth [is] folly, And the latter end of his mouth [Is] mischievous madness.
Mifototse an-kagegeañe o fivolam-bava’eo, naho migadon-ko haratian-dagola;
14 And the fool multiplies words: “Man does not know that which is—And that which is after him, who declares to him?”
mangaradadak’ avao ty minè. Tsy fohi’ ondatio ty ho zoeñe, ia ty mahatalily ama’e ty hanonjohy aze?
15 The labor of the foolish wearies him, In that he has not known to go to the city.
Akore ty hamokora’ i dagolay amy fitromaha’ey, kanao tsy fohi’e ty homba’e mb’an-drova mb’eo.
16 Woe to you, O land, when your king [is] a youth, And your princes eat in the morning.
Hoy hoy ty ama’o, ry tane, naho ajaja ty mpanjaka’o vaho mpanao bedidake maraindray o ana-dona’oo!
17 Blessed are you, O land, When your king [is] a son of nobles, And your princes eat in due season, For might, and not for drunkenness.
Haha irehe ry tane, te roandriañe ty mpanjaka’o, vaho mikama ami’ty evae’e o ana-dona’oo hihaozara’e fa tsy ty himamoa’e!
18 By slothfulness is the wall brought low, And by idleness of the hands the house drops.
Havotroañe ty mahakolemake tafo; tañañe ledra’e ty mahatsopatsopake traño.
19 For mirth they are making a feast, And wine makes life joyful, And the silver answers with all.
Natao hampiankahake ty sabadidake; te hahafale fiay ty divay, vaho te hamale ze he’e ty drala.
20 Even in your mind do not revile a king, And in the inner parts of your bed-chamber do not revile the rich: For a bird of the heavens causes the voice to go, And a possessor of wings declares the word.
tovo’e: Ko mamatse ty mpanjaka am-pitsakorea’o ao, naho ty mpiefoefo an-trañom-pandrea’o ao; ke hinday ty feo’o i voron-tiokey, hera haboele’ i amañ’elatsey i enta’oy.
