Mpitoriteny 12

1 Ary tsarovy ny Mpanao anao amin’ ny andro fahatanoranao, dieny tsy mbola tonga ny andro mahory, ary tsy mbola mihatra ny taona izay hanaovanao hoe; Tsy sitrako izao;

And remember thy Creator in the days of thy youth, before the days of evil come, and the years overtake [thee] in which thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them.

2 dieny tsy mbola maizina ny masoandro sy ny fahazavana sy ny volana sy ny kintana, ary tsy mbola mitambatra indray ny rahona, rehefa latsaka ny ranonorana;

While the sun and light are not darkened, nor the moon and the stars; nor the clouds return after the rain:

3 fa amin’ izay dia hangovitra ny mpiandry trano, ary hanjoko ny lehilahy matanjaka, ary hitsahatra ny ankizivavy mpitoto, satria efa vitsy ireo, ary ho maizina ny vehivavy mitsirika eo am-baravarankely,

in the day wherein the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the mighty men shall become bent, and the grinding [women] cease because they have become few, and the [women] looking out at the windows be dark;

4 ary hirindrina ny varavarana kopa-droa mankeny an-dalambe, rehefa malemy ny feon’ ny fikosoham-bary; ary ho taitra ny olona, raha vao maneno ny voronkely, ary halemy feo ny zazavavy mpihira rehetra;

and they shall shut the doors in the market-place, because of the weakness of the voice of her that grinds [at the mill]; and he shall rise up at the voice of the sparrow, and all the daughters of song shall be brought low;

5 ary koa, hatahotra ny fiakarana izy, ary toa hisy zava-mahatahotra eny an-dalana; ary hamony ny hazo amygdala, ary ny valala aza ho tonga mavesatra, ary ny voan-tsimperifery aza tsy hanan-kery intsony fa mandroso ho any amin’ ny tranony mandrakizay ny olona, ary ny mpisaona mandehandeha eny an-dalambe

and they shall look up, and fears [shall be] in the way, and the almond tree shall blossom, and the locust shall increase, and the caper shall be scattered: because man has gone to his eternal home, and the mourners have gone about the market:

6 dieny tsy mbola mivaha ny kofehy volafotsy, ary tsy mbola vaky ny vilia volamena fitoeran-diloilo, ary tsy mbola rava ny barika eo an-doharano, ary tsy mbola tapaka ny kodia eo an-davaka famorian-drano,

before the silver cord be [let go], or the choice gold be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel run down to the cistern;

7 ka ny vovoka dia hiverina amin’ ny tany ho toy ny teo, fa ny fanahy kosa hiverina amin’ Andriamanitra, Izay nanome iny.

[before] the dust also return to the earth as it was, and the spirit return to God who gave it.

8 Zava-poana dia zava-poana, hoy Mpitoriteny, eny, zava-poana ny zavatra rehetra!

Vanity of vanities, said the Preacher; all is vanity.

9 Ary koa, satria hendry Mpitoriteny, dia nampianatra ny olona fahalalana izy; eny, nandinika sy nieritreritra ary nandahatra ohabolana maro izy.

And because the Preacher was wise above [others, so it was] that he taught man excellent knowledge, and the ear will trace out the parables.

10 Mpitoriteny nitady hahita teny mahafinaritra; ary izay mahitsy no voasorany, dia tenin’ ny fahamarinana.

The Preacher sought diligently to find out acceptable words, and a correct writing, [even] words of truth.

11 Ny tenin’ ny hendry dia toy ny fanindronan-omby sy toy ny hombo voatsatoka, ry mpanangona, omen’ ny mpiandry iray izy;

The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails firmly fastened, which have been given from one shepherd by agreement.

12 ary he koa, anaka! minoa anatra ianao; fa tsy misy farany ny manao boky maro, ary manasatra ny tena ny fianarana be.

And moreover, my son, guard thyself by means of them: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.

13 Ary rehefa re izany rehetra izany, dia izao no faran’ ny teny: Andriamanitra no atahory, ary ny didiny no tandremo, fa izany no tokony hataon’ ny olona rehetra.

Hear the end of the matter, the sun: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole man.

14 Fa ny atao rehetra dia ho entin’ Andriamanitra ho amin’ ny fitsarana ny zava-miafina rehetra, na soa na ratsy.

For God will bring every work into judgment, with everything that has been overlooked, whether [it be] good, or whether [it be] evil.