Mpitoriteny 10
1 Mampitrotrotse ty menam-pañemboke ty laletse mate; le mavesatse te ami’ty hihitse naho ty asiñe, ty hagegeañe kede.
Dead flies make the oil of the perfumer give out an evil smell; more valued is a little wisdom than the great glory of the foolish.
2 Mitolike mb’an-kavàna ty arofo’ i mahihitsey, mb’ankavia ka ty tro’ i dagolay.
The heart of the wise man goes in the right direction; but the heart of a foolish man in the wrong.
3 Ndra te mijelanjelañe an-dalañe eo ty derendereñe, kanao po-hilala, aboa’e amy màroy ty hagegea’e.
And when the foolish man is walking in the way, he has no sense and lets everyone see that he is foolish.
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 wrath of the ruler is against you, keep in your place; in him who keeps quiet even great sins may be overlooked.
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, like an error which comes by chance from a ruler:
6 Onjoneñe mb’an-toetse ambone ty seretse maro, ie mitozoke ambane eo o mpañalealeo.
The foolish are placed in high positions, but men of wealth are kept low.
7 Nahatrea ondevo miningi-tsoavala iraho, vaho ty ana-donake mañavelo an-tane eo hoe ondevo.
I have seen servants on horses, and rulers walking on the earth as servants.
8 Mete hivariñe ama’e ao ty mihaly koboñe; naho mete hehere’ ty mereñe ze misorodidy kijoly.
He who makes a hole for others will himself go into it, and for him who makes a hole through a wall the bite of a snake will be a punishment.
9 Mete joie’ ty vato ty mihaly aze; le mete hizo fere ty mampitserake hatae.
He who gets out stones from the earth will be damaged by them, and in the cutting of wood there is danger.
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 has no edge, and he does not make it sharp, then he has to put out more strength; but wisdom makes things go well.
11 Ie hehere’ ty mereñe tsy nampipendreñeñe; le an-koheke i mpitroboy.
If a snake gives a bite before the word of power is said, then there is no longer any use in the word of power.
12 Matarike o entam-palie’ i mahihitseio, fe mampibotseke ty dagola o soñi’eo.
The words of a wise man's mouth are sweet to all, but the lips of a foolish man are his destruction.
13 Mifototse an-kagegeañe o fivolam-bava’eo, naho migadon-ko haratian-dagola;
The first words of his mouth are foolish, and the end of his talk is evil crime.
14 mangaradadak’ avao ty minè. Tsy fohi’ ondatio ty ho zoeñe, ia ty mahatalily ama’e ty hanonjohy aze?
The foolish are full of words; man has no knowledge of what will be; and who is able to say what will be after him?
15 Akore ty hamokora’ i dagolay amy fitromaha’ey, kanao tsy fohi’e ty homba’e mb’an-drova mb’eo.
The work of the foolish will be a weariness to him, because he has no knowledge of the way to the town.
16 Hoy hoy ty ama’o, ry tane, naho ajaja ty mpanjaka’o vaho mpanao bedidake maraindray o ana-dona’oo!
Unhappy is the land whose king is a boy, and whose rulers are feasting 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 is the land whose ruler is of noble birth, and whose chiefs take food at the right time, for strength and not for feasting.
18 Havotroañe ty mahakolemake tafo; tañañe ledra’e ty mahatsopatsopake traño.
When no work is done the roof goes in, and when the hands do nothing water comes into the house.
19 Natao hampiankahake ty sabadidake; te hahafale fiay ty divay, vaho te hamale ze he’e ty drala.
A feast is for laughing, and wine makes glad the heart; but by the one and the other money is wasted.
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.
Say not a curse against the king, even in your thoughts; and even secretly say not a curse against the man of wealth; because a bird of the air will take the voice, and that which has wings will give news of it.
