Mpitoriteny 7
1 Tsara ny laza soa noho ny menaka manitra; ary ny andro ahaterahana tsy mahaleo ny andro ahafatesana.
A good name is better than precious ointments: and the day of death than the day of one’s birth.
2 Tsara ny mankamin’ ny trano misy fisaonana noho ny mankamin’ ny trano misy fanasana; fa ho amin’ iny no hiafaran’ ny olombelona rehetra, ary ny velona handatsaka am-po izany.
It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to the house of feasting: for in that we are put in mind of the end of all, and the living thinketh what is to come.
3 Tsara ny alahelo noho ny hehy; fa na dia malahelo aza ny tarehy, mety tsara ihany ny fo.
Anger is better than laughter: because by the sadness of the countenance the mind of the offender is corrected.
4 Ny fon’ ny hendry dia ao amin’ ny trano misy fisaonana; fa ny fon’ ny adala kosa dia ao amin’ ny trano misy fifaliana.
The heart of the wise is where there is mourning, and the heart of fools where there is mirth.
5 Tsara ny mihaino ny anatra mafy ataon’ ny hendry noho ny mihaino ny hiran’ ny adala.
It is better to be rebuked by a wise man, than to be deceived by the flattery of fools.
6 Toy ny firefodrefotry ny tsilo eo ambanin’ ny vilany, dia tahaka izany ny fihomehezan’ ny adala; zava-poana koa izany.
For as the crackling of thorns burning under a pot, so is the laughter of a fool: now this also is vanity.
7 Fa ny fampahoriana dia mahavery saina ny hendry; ary ny kolikoly mahasimba ny fo.
Oppression troubleth the wise, and shall destroy the strength of his heart.
8 Tsara ny iafaran’ ny raharaha noho ny iandohany; tsara ny mahari-po noho ny miavanavom-panahy.
Better is the end of a speech than the beginning. Better is the patient man than the presumptuous.
9 Aoka tsy halaky tezitra ny fanahinao; fa ny fahatezerana mitoetra ao an-tratran’ ny adala.
Be not quickly angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of a fool.
10 Aza manao hoe: Ahoana no nahatsara ny andro taloha noho ny ankehitriny? fa tsy avy amin’ ny fahendrena no anontanianao izany.
Say not: What thinkest thou is the cause that former times were better than they are now? for this manner of question is foolish.
11 Tsara tahaka ny lova ny fahendrena, sady zava-mahasoa ho an’ izay mahita masoandro izany.
Wisdom with riches is more profitable, and bringeth more advantage to them that see the sun.
12 Fa fialokalofana ny fahendrena, ary fialokalofana ny vola; ary ny mahatsara ny fahalalana dia izao: Maharo ny ain’ ny manana azy ny fahendrena.
For as wisdom is a defence, so money is a defence: but learning and wisdom excel in this, that they give life to him that possesseth them.
13 Saino ny asan’ Andriamanitra; fa iza moa no mahahitsy izay nataony ho meloka?
Consider the works of God, that no man can correct whom he hath despised.
14 Amin’ ny andro mahafaly dia mifalia; ary amin’ ny andro mahory mieritrereta; fa nampitanandrifin’ Andriamanitra ireo, mba tsy hahitan’ ny olona akory izay ho avy any aoriany.
In the good day enjoy good things, and beware beforehand of the evil day: for God hath made both the one and the other, that man may not find against him any just complaint.
15 Izao rehetra izao dia efa hitako tamin’ ny androko mandalo foana: misy marina maty amin’ ny hamarinany; ary misy meloka ela velona amin’ ny haratsiany.
These things also I saw in the days of my vanity: A just man perisheth in his justice, and a wicked man liveth a long time in his wickedness.
16 Aza marina loatra, ary aza miseho ho hendry loatra; nahoana noho simbanao ny tenanao?
Be not over just: and be not more wise than is necessary, lest thou become stupid.
17 Aza ratsy loatra ianao, ary aza adala; nahoana no ho faty ianao, raha tsy efa tonga ny andronao?
Be not overmuch wicked: and be not foolish, lest thou die before thy time.
18 Tsara raha mitana iroa ianao, nefa aza mampiala ny tananao amin’ itsy; fa izay matahotra an’ Andriamanitra dia ho afaka amin’ izany rehetra izany.
It is good that thou shouldst hold up the just, yea and from him withdraw not thy hand: for he that feareth God, neglecteth nothing.
19 Ny fahendrena no maharo ny hendry mihoatra noho ny mpanapaka folo ao an-tanàna.
Wisdom hath strengthened the wise more than ten princes of the city.
20 Fa tsy misy olona marina ambonin’ ny tany izay manao tsara ka tsy manota.
For there is no just man upon earth, that doth good, and sinneth not.
21 Aza mihainohaino ny teny rehetra tenenina, fandrao handre ny mpanomponao manozona anao ianao;
But do not apply thy heart to all words that are spoken: lest perhaps thou hear thy servant reviling thee.
22 fa fantatry ny fonao fa na dia ny tenanao aza dia mba efa nanozona ny sasany matetika ihany koa.
For thy conscience knoweth that thou also hast often spoken evil of others.
23 Izany rehetra izany dia notsapaiko tamin’ ny fahendrena. Hoy izaho: Ho hendry aho; kanjo lavitra ahy izany.
I have tried all things in wisdom. I have said: I will be wise: and it departed farther from me,
24 Eny, izay rehetra lavitra sady lalina dia lalina, iza no mahatakatra azy?
Much more than it was: it is a great depth, who shall find it out?
25 Nitodika aho, ka nampiasaiko ny foko hahalala sy handinika ary hitady fahendrena sy izay anton-javatra ary hahafantatra ny faharatsiana ho fahadalana, ary ny fahadalana ho fahaverezan-tsaina;
I have surveyed all things with my mind, to know, and consider, and seek out wisdom and reason: and to know the wickedness of the fool, and the error of the imprudent:
26 ka hitako fa mangidy noho ny fahafatesana ny vehivavy, izay fandrika sy harato ny fony, sady famatorana ny tànany; nefa izay ankasitrahan’ Andriamanitra dia ho afa-mandositra azy, fa ny mpanota ihany no ho azony.
And I have found a woman more bitter than death, who is the hunter’s snare, and her heart is a net, and her hands are bands. He that pleaseth God shall escape from her: but he that is a sinner, shall be caught by her.
27 Indro, izany no hitako, hoy Mpitoriteny, raha nandinidinika ny zavatra tsirairay aho mba hahitana izay antony.
Lo this have I found, said Ecclesiastes, weighing one thing after another, that I might find out the account,
28 Izay notadiaviko koa, fa tsy hitako, dia izao: lehilahy iray no hitako ho marina tao amin’ ny arivo; fa tao amin’ ny vehivavy arivo dia tsy nisy hitako na dia iray akory aza.
Which yet my soul seeketh, and I have not found it. One man among a thousand I have found, a woman among them all I have not found.
29 Indro, izao ihany no hitako: nataon’ Andriamanitra mahitsy ny olona, kanjo namorona sain-kafa maro izy.
Only this I have found, that God made man right, and he hath entangled himself with an infinity of questions. Who is as the wise man? and who hath known the resolution of the word?
