Mpitoriteny 7
1 Ambone’ ty fahosotse sarotse ty tahinañe soa; naho ty androm-pihomahañe, ta ty andro nisamahañe.
A good reputation is better than expensive perfume, and the day you die is better than the day you were born.
2 Hàmake t’ie mb’an-traño fandalàñe ta te mb’añ’anjomba fisabadidahañe, fa izay ty figadoña’ ze kila ondaty, ee te hapo’ ty veloñe an-tro’e ao izay.
It's better to go to a funeral than to a party. In the end, everyone dies, and those who are still alive should think about it.
3 Ambone’ ty fiankahafañe ty haemberañe; fa mete ho fale ty arofo ndra te lonjetse ty laharañe.
Sorrow is better than laughter, for tragedy helps us by making us think.
4 Añ-anjombam-pandalàñe ao ty arofo’ o mahihitseo, le an-trañom-piankahafañe ao ty tro’ o dagolao.
Wise people think about the impact of death, while those who are fools only think about having a good time.
5 Hàmake t’ie mijanjiñe ty fañendaha’ ty mahihitse, ta te mitsanoñe ty sabo’ o mineñeo.
It's better to listen to criticism from a wise person than to hear the song of fools.
6 Hambañe ami’ty fipipiham-patike ambane’ valàñe eo, ty fitohafa’ i dagola; hakoahañe ka izay.
The laughter of fools is like the crackling of thorn twigs burning under a pot—without sense and quickly over.
7 Toe mampinè’ ty mahihitse ty famorekekeañe, vaho mamorek’ arofo ty vokàñe.
Extorting money from others makes wise people into fools, and accepting bribes corrupts the mind.
8 Ambone’ ty fifotoran-draha ty figadoña’e, le ambone’ ty troke misenge ty arofo mahaliñe.
Completing something is better than starting it. Being patient is better than being proud.
9 Ko malisa ho viñetse añ’arofo irehe, amy te mimoneñe am-banian-dagola ao ty habosehañe.
Don't be quick to get angry, for anger controls the minds of fools.
10 Ko manao ty hoe, Ino ty nahasoa o andro taoloo te amo henanekeo? toe tsy aman-kihitse i ontane’o zay.
Don't ask, “Why were the good old days better than now?” Asking such questions shows you are not wise.
11 Raha soa te mitraoke an-kihitse ty lova, toe tombo’ o mahaisake i androio.
Wisdom is good—it's like receiving an inheritance. It benefits everyone in life.
12 Manahake ty fañarova’ ty vara ty fañambena’ i hihitsey; fe ty hasoa’ o hilalao, arova’ i hihitsey ty fiai’ o manañ’ azeo.
For wisdom provides security, as does money, but the advantage for those who have wisdom is that they are kept safe and sound!
13 Haraharao ty fitoloñan’ Añahare; ia ty mahay mañity ty nimengoha’e.
Think about what God does. If he makes something bent, you can't straighten it!
14 Mifalea añ’andro vokatse, vaho mitsakorea añ’andron-kankàñe; songa nanoen’ Añahare itoy naho iroy, soa tsy ho oni’ ondaty ndra inoñ’ inoñe amo hanonjohy azeo.
On a good day, be happy. When a bad day comes, stop and think. God made each day, so you don't know what will happen to you next.
15 Hene nitreako amo haveloko koakey; eo t’indaty vaño mihomak’ amy havantaña’ey, eo ka ty lo-tsereke mañalava andro amy haratia’ey.
Throughout my life I've seen so much that is hard to understand. Good people who die young despite doing what is right, and wicked people who live long evil lives.
16 Ko loho vantañe; ko losore’o ty hihitse; Ino ty hampiantoa’o ty vata’o?
Don't think you can make yourself right by a lot of religious observance, and don't pretend to be so wise. Do you want to destroy yourself?
17 Ko loho tsereheñe, naho ko manao gege; ino ty hivetraha’o aolo’ ty andro’o?
On the other hand, don't decide to live an evil life—don't be a fool! Why die before your time?
18 Soa re te fahara’o iroy, vaho tsy asita’o itoy, fa horihe’ ty mañeveñe aman’ Añahare i roe rey.
You ought to keep in mind these warnings. Those who follow God will be sure to avoid both.
19 Mampaozatse ty mahihitse ambone’ ty mpifehe folo an-drova ao, ty hihitse.
Wisdom gives a wise person greater power than ten town councilors.
20 Fa toe tsitantane t’indaty vañoñe mitolon-kavantañañe le lia’e tsy mandilatse.
There's not one good person in all the world who always does what is right and never sins.
21 Aa le ko loho haoñe’o ze fonga enta saontsieñe, tsy mone ho janji’o mamatse azo ty mpitoro’o;
Don't take to heart everything that people say, otherwise you may hear your servant talking badly about you,
22 amy te beteke, fohi’ ty vata’o te ihe namatse ty ila’e.
for you know how many times you yourself have talked badly about others!
23 Fa hene nitsoheako an-kihitse, le hoe iraho: Ho paiako ty hihitse, fe nihànkañe amako.
I have examined all this using the principles of wisdom. I told myself, “I will think wisely.” But wisdom eluded me.
24 Tsietoitane añe naho miheotse o raha fa nifetsakeo, ia ty hahatendreke aze?
Everything that exists is beyond our grasp—too deep for our understanding. Who can comprehend it?
25 Natoliko ty troko handrèndreke naho hitsikarake vaho hikodebe ty hihitse naho ty lengo’ o rahao, naho ty hahafohinako ty haratia’ ty hadagolàñe, vaho ty hanè’ o hagegeañeo;
I turned my thoughts to discover, investigate, and to find out more about wisdom and what makes sense. I wanted to know more about how stupid evil really is, and how ridiculous it is to be a fool.
26 le nitreako te mafaitse te ami’ty havilasy ty rakemba amam-pandrike, ie harato ty tro’e, naho silisilim-pandrohizañe o taña’eo; hiponiora’ ty mahafale an’ Andrianañahare; fe ho tsepahe’e ty mpanan-tahiñe.
I discovered something more horrible than death: foolishness like a woman who tries to entrap you, who wants to use her mind and hands to catch you and tie you up. Those who follow God will not be caught, but sinners will fall into her trap.
27 Ingo, itoy ty nitreako, hoe ty mpañoke, ie tovoñañe ami’ty raha raike ty ila’e, hamoliliañ’ aze;
This is what I discovered after putting two and two together to try and find out what it all meant, says the Teacher.
28 ie nitolom-pipay ty troko, fe mbe mboe tsy naharendreke; fa nahatrea ondaty raik’ ami’ty arivo iraho, fe tsy nahatrea rakemba raik’ amy rezay iaby.
Although I really searched, I didn't find what I was looking for. People say, “I found one man among a thousand, but not one woman.”
29 Inao, te zao avao ty nitreako, te nanoen’ Añahare mahity t’indaty, f’ie mikitro-draha maro.
But I did find this one thing: God made people to do what's right, but they have followed their own ideas.
