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 ointment of the perfumer to send forth a stinking savour: [so] doth a little folly outweigh wisdom and honour.
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 walketh by the way, his understanding faileth him, and he saith to every one [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 rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for yielding allayeth great offences.
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 proceedeth 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 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 princes walking as servants upon the earth.
8 Mete hivariñe ama’e ao ty mihaly koboñe; naho mete hehere’ ty mereñe ze misorodidy kijoly.
He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh through a fence, a serpent shall bite him.
9 Mete joie’ ty vato ty mihaly aze; le mete hizo fere ty mampitserake hatae.
Whoso heweth out stones shall be hurt therewith; [and] he that cleaveth 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 one do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength: but wisdom is profitable to direct.
11 Ie hehere’ ty mereñe tsy nampipendreñeñe; le an-koheke i mpitroboy.
If the serpent bite before it be 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 up himself.
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 multiplieth words: [yet] man knoweth 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 labour of fools wearieth every one of them, for he knoweth 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 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!
Happy art thou, O land, when thy king is the son of nobles, and thy princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness!
18 Havotroañe ty mahakolemake tafo; tañañe ledra’e ty mahatsopatsopake traño.
By slothfulness the roof sinketh in; and through idleness of the hands the house leaketh.
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 maketh glad the life: and money answereth 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.
Curse not the king, no, not in thy thought; and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber: for a bird of the air shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter.
