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;
Remember your Creator while you are young, before days of trouble come and you grow old, saying, “I'm not enjoying life anymore.”
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;
Before the light fades—sun, moon, and stars—and rain clouds return to darken the skies.
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,
Before the guards of the house tremble and the strong men are bent over, the grinders stop working because there are only a few left, and the ones looking through the windows only see dimly,
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 the doors to the street are shut. Before the sound of the grinding mill grows low, and you wake up early when the birds are singing, but you can hardly hear them.
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
Before you develop a fear of heights and worry about going out on the streets; when the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper crawls along, and desire fails, for everyone has to go to their eternal home as the mourners go up and down the street.
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 is snapped and the golden bowl is broken; before the water jug is smashed at the spring, or the pulley is broken at the well.
7 ka ny vovoka dia hiverina amin’ ny tany ho toy ny teo, fa ny fanahy kosa hiverina amin’ Andriamanitra, Izay nanome iny.
Then the dust returns to the earth from which it came, and the breath of life returns to God who gave it.
8 Zava-poana dia zava-poana, hoy Mpitoriteny, eny, zava-poana ny zavatra rehetra!
“Everything passes! It's all so hard to understand!” says the Teacher.
9 Ary koa, satria hendry Mpitoriteny, dia nampianatra ny olona fahalalana izy; eny, nandinika sy nieritreritra ary nandahatra ohabolana maro izy.
Not only was the Teacher a wise man, he also taught what he knew to others. He thought about many proverbs, studying them and arranging them.
10 Mpitoriteny nitady hahita teny mahafinaritra; ary izay mahitsy no voasorany, dia tenin’ ny fahamarinana.
The Teacher looked for the best way to explain things, writing truthfully and honestly.
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 like cattle prods. Their collected sayings are like nails driven home, given by one shepherd.
12 ary he koa, anaka! minoa anatra ianao; fa tsy misy farany ny manao boky maro, ary manasatra ny tena ny fianarana be.
In addition, my student, take care, for there's no end to book writing, and too much study wears you out.
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.
To sum up now that everything has been discussed: Respect God by keeping his commandments, for that's what everyone should do.
14 Fa ny atao rehetra dia ho entin’ Andriamanitra ho amin’ ny fitsarana ny zava-miafina rehetra, na soa na ratsy.
God is going to judge us for everything we do, including what we do secretly, whether good or bad.
