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 ointment; 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 go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart.
3 Tsara ny alahelo noho ny hehy; fa na dia malahelo aza ny tarehy, mety tsara ihany ny fo.
Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made glad.
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 in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
5 Tsara ny mihaino ny anatra mafy ataon’ ny hendry noho ny mihaino ny hiran’ ny adala.
It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song 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 under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity.
7 Fa ny fampahoriana dia mahavery saina ny hendry; ary ny kolikoly mahasimba ny fo.
Surely extortion maketh a wise man foolish; and a gift destroyeth the understanding.
8 Tsara ny iafaran’ ny raharaha noho ny iandohany; tsara ny mahari-po noho ny miavanavom-panahy.
Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: [and] the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.
9 Aoka tsy halaky tezitra ny fanahinao; fa ny fahatezerana mitoetra ao an-tratran’ ny adala.
Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.
10 Aza manao hoe: Ahoana no nahatsara ny andro taloha noho ny ankehitriny? fa tsy avy amin’ ny fahendrena no anontanianao izany.
Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not inquire wisely concerning this.
11 Tsara tahaka ny lova ny fahendrena, sady zava-mahasoa ho an’ izay mahita masoandro izany.
Wisdom is as good as an inheritance: yea, more excellent is it for 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 wisdom is a defence, even as money is a defence: but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom preserveth the life of him that hath it.
13 Saino ny asan’ Andriamanitra; fa iza moa no mahahitsy izay nataony ho meloka?
Consider the work of God: for who can make that straight, which he hath made crooked?
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 day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider: God hath even made the one side by side with the other, to the end that man should not find out any thing [that shall be] after him.
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.
All this have I seen in the days of my vanity: there is a righteous man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth [his life] in his evil-doing.
16 Aza marina loatra, ary aza miseho ho hendry loatra; nahoana noho simbanao ny tenanao?
Be not righteous over much; neither make thyself over wise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself?
17 Aza ratsy loatra ianao, ary aza adala; nahoana no ho faty ianao, raha tsy efa tonga ny andronao?
Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest 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 shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from that withdraw not thine hand: for he that feareth God shall come forth of them all.
19 Ny fahendrena no maharo ny hendry mihoatra noho ny mpanapaka folo ao an-tanàna.
Wisdom is a strength to the wise man more than ten rulers which are in a city.
20 Fa tsy misy olona marina ambonin’ ny tany izay manao tsara ka tsy manota.
Surely there is not a righteous man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.
21 Aza mihainohaino ny teny rehetra tenenina, fandrao handre ny mpanomponao manozona anao ianao;
Also take not heed unto all words that are spoken; lest thou hear thy servant curse thee:
22 fa fantatry ny fonao fa na dia ny tenanao aza dia mba efa nanozona ny sasany matetika ihany koa.
for oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.
23 Izany rehetra izany dia notsapaiko tamin’ ny fahendrena. Hoy izaho: Ho hendry aho; kanjo lavitra ahy izany.
All this have I proved in wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.
24 Eny, izay rehetra lavitra sady lalina dia lalina, iza no mahatakatra azy?
That which is is far off, and exceeding deep; who can 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 turned about, and my heart [was set] to know and to search out, and to seek wisdom and the reason [of things], and to know that wickedness is folly, and that foolishness is madness:
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 find a thing more bitter than death, [even] the woman whose heart is snares and nets, [and] her hands [as] bands: whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her.
27 Indro, izany no hitako, hoy Mpitoriteny, raha nandinidinika ny zavatra tsirairay aho mba hahitana izay antony.
Behold, this have I found, saith the Preacher; [laying] one thing to another, to 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 my soul still seeketh, but I have not found: one man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I not found.
29 Indro, izao ihany no hitako: nataon’ Andriamanitra mahitsy ny olona, kanjo namorona sain-kafa maro izy.
Behold, this only have I found, that God made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.
