Mpitoriteny 10
1 Mampitrotrotse ty menam-pañemboke ty laletse mate; le mavesatse te ami’ty hihitse naho ty asiñe, ty hagegeañe kede.
Dead flies cause the oil of the perfumer to send forth an evil odor, so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor.
2 Mitolike mb’an-kavàna ty arofo’ i mahihitsey, mb’ankavia ka ty tro’ i dagolay.
A wise man's heart is at his right hand, but a fool's heart at his left.
3 Ndra te mijelanjelañe an-dalañe eo ty derendereñe, kanao po-hilala, aboa’e amy màroy ty hagegea’e.
Yea also, when the fool walks by the way, his understanding fails him, and he says to everyone that he is a fool.
4 Naho miforoforo ama’o ty haviñera’ ty mpifehe, ko apo’o ty toe’o, amy te mañafa-tsirìka-mena ty hamora-fo.
If the spirit of the ruler rises up against thee, leave not thy place, for deference allays great offenses.
5 Eo ty haratiañe nitendrek’ahy ambane’ i àndroy, hoe lilatse aboa’ ty mpifehe.
There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, as it were an error which proceeds from the ruler:
6 Onjoneñe mb’an-toetse ambone ty seretse maro, ie mitozoke ambane eo o mpañalealeo.
Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in a low place.
7 Nahatrea ondevo miningi-tsoavala iraho, vaho ty ana-donake mañavelo an-tane eo hoe ondevo.
I have seen servants upon horses, and rulers walking like servants upon the earth.
8 Mete hivariñe ama’e ao ty mihaly koboñe; naho mete hehere’ ty mereñe ze misorodidy kijoly.
He who digs a pit shall fall into it, and he who breaks through a wall, a serpent shall bite him.
9 Mete joie’ ty vato ty mihaly aze; le mete hizo fere ty mampitserake hatae.
He who hews out stones shall be hurt therewith, and he who splits wood is endangered thereby.
10 Naho malomo ty viñe, ie tsy sioña’e ty lela’e, le añ’ozatse ambone ty ifanehafa’e; lombolombo’e ty hihitse mahatafetetse.
If the iron be blunt, and he does not whet the edge, then he must increase strength. But wisdom is advantageous to make right.
11 Ie hehere’ ty mereñe tsy nampipendreñeñe; le an-koheke i mpitroboy.
If the serpent bites before it is charmed, then is there no advantage in the charmer.
12 Matarike o entam-palie’ i mahihitseio, fe mampibotseke ty dagola o soñi’eo.
The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious, but the lips of a fool will swallow himself up.
13 Mifototse an-kagegeañe o fivolam-bava’eo, naho migadon-ko haratian-dagola;
The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness, and the end of his talk is mischievous madness.
14 mangaradadak’ avao ty minè. Tsy fohi’ ondatio ty ho zoeñe, ia ty mahatalily ama’e ty hanonjohy aze?
A fool also multiplies words; yet man knows not what shall be, and that which shall be after him, who can tell him?
15 Akore ty hamokora’ i dagolay amy fitromaha’ey, kanao tsy fohi’e ty homba’e mb’an-drova mb’eo.
The labor of fools wearies every one of them, for he knows not how to go to the city.
16 Hoy hoy ty ama’o, ry tane, naho ajaja ty mpanjaka’o vaho mpanao bedidake maraindray o ana-dona’oo!
Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy rulers feast in the morning!
17 Haha irehe ry tane, te roandriañe ty mpanjaka’o, vaho mikama ami’ty evae’e o ana-dona’oo hihaozara’e fa tsy ty himamoa’e!
Happy are thou, O land, when thy king is the son of noble men, and thy rulers feast in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness!
18 Havotroañe ty mahakolemake tafo; tañañe ledra’e ty mahatsopatsopake traño.
By slothfulness the roof sinks in, and through idleness of the hands the house leaks.
19 Natao hampiankahake ty sabadidake; te hahafale fiay ty divay, vaho te hamale ze he’e ty drala.
A feast is made for laughter, and wine makes glad the life, and money answers all things.
20 tovo’e: Ko mamatse ty mpanjaka am-pitsakorea’o ao, naho ty mpiefoefo an-trañom-pandrea’o ao; ke hinday ty feo’o i voron-tiokey, hera haboele’ i amañ’elatsey i enta’oy.
Revile not the king, no, not in thy thought, and revile not the rich in thy bedchamber. For a bird of the heavens shall carry the voice, and that which has wings shall tell the matter.
