Ecclesiastes 7
1 A good name is better than precious perfume, and the day of one's death than the day of his birth.
Ambone’ ty fahosotse sarotse ty tahinañe soa; naho ty androm-pihomahañe, ta ty andro nisamahañe.
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 heart.
Hàmake t’ie mb’an-traño fandalàñe ta te mb’añ’anjomba fisabadidahañe, fa izay ty figadoña’ ze kila ondaty, ee te hapo’ ty veloñe an-tro’e ao izay.
3 Sorrow is better than laughter; for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.
Ambone’ ty fiankahafañe ty haemberañe; fa mete ho fale ty arofo ndra te lonjetse ty laharañe.
4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
Añ-anjombam-pandalàñe ao ty arofo’ o mahihitseo, le an-trañom-piankahafañe ao ty tro’ o dagolao.
5 It is better for a man to hear the rebuke of the wise than to hear the song of fools.
Hàmake t’ie mijanjiñe ty fañendaha’ ty mahihitse, ta te mitsanoñe ty sabo’ o mineñeo.
6 For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of a fool. This also is vanity.
Hambañe ami’ty fipipiham-patike ambane’ valàñe eo, ty fitohafa’ i dagola; hakoahañe ka izay.
7 Surely the gain of oppression maketh a wise man foolish, and a gift corrupteth the understanding.
Toe mampinè’ ty mahihitse ty famorekekeañe, vaho mamorek’ arofo ty vokàñe.
8 Better is the end of a thing than its beginning. Better is the patient in spirit than the proud in spirit.
Ambone’ ty fifotoran-draha ty figadoña’e, le ambone’ ty troke misenge ty arofo mahaliñe.
9 Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry; for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.
Ko malisa ho viñetse añ’arofo irehe, amy te mimoneñe am-banian-dagola ao ty habosehañe.
10 Say not, “What is the cause that the former days were better than these?” For thou dost not inquire wisely concerning this.
Ko manao ty hoe, Ino ty nahasoa o andro taoloo te amo henanekeo? toe tsy aman-kihitse i ontane’o zay.
11 Wisdom is as good as an estate? yea, it hath an advantage over it for them that see the sun.
Raha soa te mitraoke an-kihitse ty lova, toe tombo’ o mahaisake i androio.
12 For wisdom is a defence, and money is a defence. But knowledge hath the advantage. For wisdom giveth life to them that have it.
Manahake ty fañarova’ ty vara ty fañambena’ i hihitsey; fe ty hasoa’ o hilalao, arova’ i hihitsey ty fiai’ o manañ’ azeo.
13 Consider the work of God! Who can make straight that which he hath made crooked?
Haraharao ty fitoloñan’ Añahare; ia ty mahay mañity ty nimengoha’e.
14 In the day of prosperity be joyful; but look for a day of adversity! for this also, as well as the other, hath God appointed, to the end that a man should not find out any thing which shall be after him.
Mifalea añ’andro vokatse, vaho mitsakorea añ’andron-kankàñe; songa nanoen’ Añahare itoy naho iroy, soa tsy ho oni’ ondaty ndra inoñ’ inoñe amo hanonjohy azeo.
15 All this have I seen in my days of vanity. There are righteous men who perish in their righteousness, and there are wicked men who live long in their wickedness.
Hene nitreako amo haveloko koakey; eo t’indaty vaño mihomak’ amy havantaña’ey, eo ka ty lo-tsereke mañalava andro amy haratia’ey.
16 Be not righteous overmuch; neither make thyself over-wise! Why shouldest thou destroy thyself?
Ko loho vantañe; ko losore’o ty hihitse; Ino ty hampiantoa’o ty vata’o?
17 Be not overmuch wicked; neither be thou a fool! Why shouldst thou die before thy time?
Ko loho tsereheñe, naho ko manao gege; ino ty hivetraha’o aolo’ ty andro’o?
18 It is good that thou shouldst take hold of this; yea, also, from that withdraw not thy hand. For he that feareth God shall escape all those things.
Soa re te fahara’o iroy, vaho tsy asita’o itoy, fa horihe’ ty mañeveñe aman’ Añahare i roe rey.
19 Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty men who are in the city.
Mampaozatse ty mahihitse ambone’ ty mpifehe folo an-drova ao, ty hihitse.
20 Truly there is not a righteous man upon the earth who doeth good and sinneth not.
Fa toe tsitantane t’indaty vañoñe mitolon-kavantañañe le lia’e tsy mandilatse.
21 Give no heed to all the words which are spoken, lest thou hear thy servant curse thee!
Aa le ko loho haoñe’o ze fonga enta saontsieñe, tsy mone ho janji’o mamatse azo ty mpitoro’o;
22 For many times thine own heart knoweth also that even thou thyself hast cursed others.
amy te beteke, fohi’ ty vata’o te ihe namatse ty ila’e.
23 All this have I tried by wisdom. I said, “I will be wise;” but it was far from me.
Fa hene nitsoheako an-kihitse, le hoe iraho: Ho paiako ty hihitse, fe nihànkañe amako.
24 That which is far off and exceeding deep, who can find it out?
Tsietoitane añe naho miheotse o raha fa nifetsakeo, ia ty hahatendreke aze?
25 I applied my mind earnestly to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom and intelligence, and to know wickedness and folly, yea, foolishness and madness.
Natoliko ty troko handrèndreke naho hitsikarake vaho hikodebe ty hihitse naho ty lengo’ o rahao, naho ty hahafohinako ty haratia’ ty hadagolàñe, vaho ty hanè’ o hagegeañeo;
26 And I found more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and nets, and her hands bands. He that pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be caught by her.
le nitreako te mafaitse te ami’ty havilasy ty rakemba amam-pandrike, ie harato ty tro’e, naho silisilim-pandrohizañe o taña’eo; hiponiora’ ty mahafale an’ Andrianañahare; fe ho tsepahe’e ty mpanan-tahiñe.
27 Behold, this have I found, saith the Preacher, putting one thing to another to find knowledge.
Ingo, itoy ty nitreako, hoe ty mpañoke, ie tovoñañe ami’ty raha raike ty ila’e, hamoliliañ’ aze;
28 That which my soul hath hitherto sought, and I have not found, is this: a man among a thousand I have found, but a woman among a thousand have I not found.
ie nitolom-pipay ty troko, fe mbe mboe tsy naharendreke; fa nahatrea ondaty raik’ ami’ty arivo iraho, fe tsy nahatrea rakemba raik’ amy rezay iaby.
29 Lo, this only have I found, that God made man upright, but they have sought out many devices.
Inao, te zao avao ty nitreako, te nanoen’ Añahare mahity t’indaty, f’ie mikitro-draha maro.
