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 also thy Creators in days of thy youth, While that the evil days come not, Nor the years have arrived, that thou sayest, '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 that the sun is not darkened, and the light, And the moon, and the stars, And the thick clouds returned 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 that keepers of the house tremble, And men of strength have bowed themselves, And grinders have ceased, because they have become few. And those looking out at the windows have become dim,
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 doors have been shut in the street. When the noise of the grinding is low, And [one] riseth at the voice of the bird, And all daughters of song are bowed down.
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
Also of that which is high they are afraid, And of the low places in the way, And the almond-tree is despised, And the grasshopper is become a burden, And want is increased, For man is going unto his home age-during, And the mourners have gone round through 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,
While that the silver cord is not removed, And the golden bowl broken, And the pitcher broken by the fountain, And the wheel 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.
And the dust returneth to the earth as it was, And the spirit returneth 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, the whole [is] vanity.
9 Ary koa, satria hendry Mpitoriteny, dia nampianatra ny olona fahalalana izy; eny, nandinika sy nieritreritra ary nandahatra ohabolana maro izy.
And further, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge, and gave ear, and sought out — he made right many similes.
10 Mpitoriteny nitady hahita teny mahafinaritra; ary izay mahitsy no voasorany, dia tenin’ ny fahamarinana.
The preacher sought to find out pleasing words, and, written [by] the upright, 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;
Words of the wise [are] as goads, and as fences planted [by] the masters of collections, they have been 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.
And further, from these, my son, be warned; the making of many books hath 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.
The end of the whole matter let us hear: — 'Fear God, and keep His commands, for this [is] the whole of man.
14 Fa ny atao rehetra dia ho entin’ Andriamanitra ho amin’ ny fitsarana ny zava-miafina rehetra, na soa na ratsy.
For every work doth God bring into judgment, with every hidden thing, whether good or bad.'
