Mpitoriteny 10
1 Mampitrotrotse ty menam-pañemboke ty laletse mate; le mavesatse te ami’ty hihitse naho ty asiñe, ty hagegeañe kede.
Pestilent flies will corrupt a preparation of sweet ointment: [and] a little wisdom is more precious than great glory of folly.
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.
Yes, and whenever a fool walks by the way, his heart will fail him, and all that he thinks of is folly.
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 rise up against you, leave not your place; for soothing will put an end to 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, wherein an error has proceeded from the ruler.
6 Onjoneñe mb’an-toetse ambone ty seretse maro, ie mitozoke ambane eo o mpañalealeo.
The fool has been set in very high places, while rich men would sit in a low one.
7 Nahatrea ondevo miningi-tsoavala iraho, vaho ty ana-donake mañavelo an-tane eo hoe ondevo.
I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants on the earth.
8 Mete hivariñe ama’e ao ty mihaly koboñe; naho mete hehere’ ty mereñe ze misorodidy kijoly.
He that digs a pit shall fall into it; and him that breaks down a hedge a serpent shall bite.
9 Mete joie’ ty vato ty mihaly aze; le mete hizo fere ty mampitserake hatae.
He that removes stones shall be troubled thereby; he that cleaves wood shall be 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 axe-head should fall off, then the man troubles his countenance, and he must put forth more strength: and [in that case] skill is of no advantage to a man.
11 Ie hehere’ ty mereñe tsy nampipendreñeñe; le an-koheke i mpitroboy.
If a serpent bite when there is no [charmer's] whisper, then there is no advantage to the charmer.
12 Matarike o entam-palie’ i mahihitseio, fe mampibotseke ty dagola o soñi’eo.
The words of a wise mouth are gracious: but the lips of a fool will swallow him up.
13 Mifototse an-kagegeañe o fivolam-bava’eo, naho migadon-ko haratian-dagola;
The beginning of the words of his mouth is folly: and the end of his talk mischievous madness.
14 mangaradadak’ avao ty minè. Tsy fohi’ ondatio ty ho zoeñe, ia ty mahatalily ama’e ty hanonjohy aze?
A fool moreover multiplies words: man knows not what has been, nor what will be: who shall tell him what will come after 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 will afflict them, [as that of one] who knows not 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 you, O city, whose king is young, and your princes eat 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!
Blessed are you, O land, whose king is a son of nobles, and whose princes shall eat seasonably, for strength, and shall not be ashamed.
18 Havotroañe ty mahakolemake tafo; tañañe ledra’e ty mahatsopatsopake traño.
By slothful neglect a building will be brought low: and by idleness of the hands the house will fall to pieces.
19 Natao hampiankahake ty sabadidake; te hahafale fiay ty divay, vaho te hamale ze he’e ty drala.
Men prepare bread for laughter, and wine and oil that the living should rejoice: but to money all things will humbly yield obedience.
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.
Even in your conscience, curse not the king; and curse not the rich in your bedchamber: for a bird of the air shall carry your voice, and that which has wings shall report your speech.
