Mpitoriteny 8

1 Iza no toy ny hendry? Ary iza no mahalala izay anton-javatra? Ny fahendren’ ny olona mahamiramirana ny tarehiny, ary voaova ny fahadontoan’ ny endriny.

Who is like the wise man, and who knoweth the explanation of a thing? A man's wisdom brighteneth his countenance, and the harshness of his face is changed.

2 Hoy izaho: Tandremo ny didin’ ny mpanjaka noho ny efa nianianana tamin’ Andriamanitra.

I counsel thee to keep the king's commandment, and that on account of the oath of God.

3 Aza malaky miala eo anatrehany; aza mikikitra amin’ ny fanaovan-dratsy; fa na inona na inona sitrany dia azony atao avokoa;

Be not in haste to depart from his presence; persist not in an evil thing; for whatever pleaseth him, that he doeth.

4 fa ny tenin’ ny mpanjaka dia misy hery, ka iza no mahazo manao aminy hoe: Inona no ataonao?

For the word of the king is powerful; and who can say to him, “What doest thou?”

5 Izay mitandrina ny didy tsy mba mikambana amin’ ny fanaovan-dratsy; ary ny fon’ ny hendry dia mahalala fotoana sy fitsarana;

He that keepeth the commandment shall experience no evil; and the heart of the wise man hath regard to time and judgment.

6 fa samy manana ny fotoany sy ny fitsarana azy avy ny hevitra rehetra, satria efa be ny heloky ny olona.

For to every thing there is a time and judgment. For the misery of man is great upon him.

7 Fa tsy mahafantatra izay ho avy izy; fa iza no hampahafantatra azy izay hihaviany?

For no one knoweth what shall be; for who can tell him how it shall be?

8 Tsy misy olona manan-kery hahatana ny ainy, na manan-kery ny amin’ ny andro hahafatesana; ary tsy misy fahafahana amin’ ny ady, ary ny ratsy fanahy tsy ho voavonjin’ ny faharatsiany.

No man hath power over the spirit to retain the spirit, and no man hath power over the day of death; and there is no discharge in that war; and wickedness shall not deliver those that are guilty of it.

9 Izany rehetra izany dia efa hitako avokoa tamin’ ny nampiasako ny foko nandinika ny asa rehetra atao atỳ ambanin’ ny masoandro. Misy andro anapahan’ ny olona ny namany ka ampidirany loza aminy.

All this have I seen, and I have given heed to all things that are done under the sun. There is a time when man ruleth over man to his hurt.

10 Ary tamin’ izany dia hitako ny ratsy fanahy nalevina ka tafiditra; fa izay nanao ny marina kosa dia lasa niala tamin’ ny fitoeran’ ny masìna ka nohadinoina tao an-tanàna; zava-poana koa izany.

And so I saw the wicked buried, while the righteous came and went from the holy place, and were forgotten in the city. This also is vanity.

11 Saingy tsy tanterahina vetivety ny famaliana ny ratsy atao, dia izany no ikirizan’ ny fon’ ny zanak’ olombelona amin’ ny fanaovan-dratsy.

Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore doth the heart of the sons of men become bold within them to do evil.

12 Eny, fa na dia manao ratsy injato aza ny mpanota ka ela velona ihany, dia fantatro kosa fa hisy soa ho an’ izay matahotra an’ Andriamanitra, dia izay matahotra eo anatrehany.

But though a sinner do evil a hundred times, and have his days prolonged, yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, that fear before him.

13 Fa tsy hisy soa ho an’ ny ratsy fanahy; fa ho toy ny aloka izy ka tsy haharitra ela, satria tsy matahotra eo anatrehan’ Andriamanitra.

But it shall not be well with the wicked: he shall be like a shadow, and shall not prolong his days, because he feareth not before God.

14 Izao koa no zava-poana izay atao atỳ ambonin’ ny tany: Misy olo-marina iharan’ izay tokony ho valin’ ny asa ratsy; ary misy olo-meloka mahazo izay tokony ho valin’ ny asa marina; hoy izaho: Zava-poana koa izany.

There is a vanity which taketh place upon the earth, that there are righteous men to whom it happeneth according to the work of the wicked, and that there are wicked men to whom it happeneth according to the work of the righteous. I said, “This also is vanity!”

15 Dia noderaiko ny fifaliana, satria tsy misy mahasoa ny olona atỳ ambanin’ ny masoandro afa-tsy ny mihinana sy ny misotro ary ny miravoravo, ka hisy izany amin’ ny fisasarany mandritra ny andro hiainany, izay nomen’ Andriamanitra azy atỳ ambanin’ ny masoandro.

Then I commended joy; because nothing is good for a man under the sun, except to eat and to drink and to be joyful; for it is this that abideth with him for his labor during the days of his life which God giveth him under the sun.

16 Raha nampiasaiko ny foko hahalala fahendrena sy hahita ny raharaha atao atỳ ambonin’ ny tany (fa misy tsy mahita torimaso na andro na alina),

When I applied my mind to know wisdom, and to see the business which is done upon the earth, —that one seeth no sleep with his eyes by day or by night, —

17 dia hitako avokoa ny asan’ Andriamanitra, fa tsy takatry ny sain’ ny olona ny asa atao atỳ ambanin’ ny masoandro; koa na dia mikely aina hitady izany aza ny olona, tsy ho hitany; eny, na ny hendry aza no manao hahafantatra izany, dia tsy ho azony fantarina akory.

then I saw the whole work of God, that a man cannot comprehend that which is done under the sun; how much soever he labor to search it out, yet shall he not comprehend it; yea, though a wise man resolve to know it, yet shall he not be able to comprehend it.