Mpitoriteny 7
1 Ambone’ ty fahosotse sarotse ty tahinañe soa; naho ty androm-pihomahañe, ta ty andro nisamahañe.
A [good] name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one’s birth.
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 is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart.
3 Ambone’ ty fiankahafañe ty haemberañe; fa mete ho fale ty arofo ndra te lonjetse ty laharañe.
Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made glad.
4 Añ-anjombam-pandalàñe ao ty arofo’ o mahihitseo, le an-trañom-piankahafañe ao ty tro’ o dagolao.
The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
5 Hàmake t’ie mijanjiñe ty fañendaha’ ty mahihitse, ta te mitsanoñe ty sabo’ o mineñeo.
It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools.
6 Hambañe ami’ty fipipiham-patike ambane’ valàñe eo, ty fitohafa’ i dagola; hakoahañe ka izay.
For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity.
7 Toe mampinè’ ty mahihitse ty famorekekeañe, vaho mamorek’ arofo ty vokàñe.
Surely extortion maketh a wise man foolish; and a gift destroyeth the understanding.
8 Ambone’ ty fifotoran-draha ty figadoña’e, le ambone’ ty troke misenge ty arofo mahaliñe.
Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: [and] the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.
9 Ko malisa ho viñetse añ’arofo irehe, amy te mimoneñe am-banian-dagola ao ty habosehañe.
Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.
10 Ko manao ty hoe, Ino ty nahasoa o andro taoloo te amo henanekeo? toe tsy aman-kihitse i ontane’o zay.
Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not inquire wisely concerning this.
11 Raha soa te mitraoke an-kihitse ty lova, toe tombo’ o mahaisake i androio.
Wisdom is as good as an inheritance: yea, more excellent is it for them that see the sun.
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 is a defence, even as money is a defence: but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom preserveth the life of him that hath it.
13 Haraharao ty fitoloñan’ Añahare; ia ty mahay mañity ty nimengoha’e.
Consider the work of God: for who can make that straight, which he hath made crooked?
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.
In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider: God hath even made the one side by side with the other, to the end that man should not find out any thing [that shall be] after him.
15 Hene nitreako amo haveloko koakey; eo t’indaty vaño mihomak’ amy havantaña’ey, eo ka ty lo-tsereke mañalava andro amy haratia’ey.
All this have I seen in the days of my vanity: there is a righteous man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth [his life] in his evil-doing.
16 Ko loho vantañe; ko losore’o ty hihitse; Ino ty hampiantoa’o ty vata’o?
Be not righteous over much; neither make thyself over wise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself?
17 Ko loho tsereheñe, naho ko manao gege; ino ty hivetraha’o aolo’ ty andro’o?
Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time?
18 Soa re te fahara’o iroy, vaho tsy asita’o itoy, fa horihe’ ty mañeveñe aman’ Añahare i roe rey.
It is good that thou shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from that withdraw not thine hand: for he that feareth God shall come forth of them all.
19 Mampaozatse ty mahihitse ambone’ ty mpifehe folo an-drova ao, ty hihitse.
Wisdom is a strength to the wise man more than ten rulers which are in a city.
20 Fa toe tsitantane t’indaty vañoñe mitolon-kavantañañe le lia’e tsy mandilatse.
Surely there is not a righteous man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.
21 Aa le ko loho haoñe’o ze fonga enta saontsieñe, tsy mone ho janji’o mamatse azo ty mpitoro’o;
Also take not heed unto all words that are spoken; lest thou hear thy servant curse thee:
22 amy te beteke, fohi’ ty vata’o te ihe namatse ty ila’e.
for oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.
23 Fa hene nitsoheako an-kihitse, le hoe iraho: Ho paiako ty hihitse, fe nihànkañe amako.
All this have I proved in wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.
24 Tsietoitane añe naho miheotse o raha fa nifetsakeo, ia ty hahatendreke aze?
That which is is far off, and exceeding deep; who can find it out?
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 about, and my heart [was set] to know and to search out, and to seek wisdom and the reason [of things], and to know that wickedness is folly, and that foolishness is madness:
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.
And I find a thing more bitter than death, [even] the woman whose heart is snares and nets, [and] her hands [as] bands: whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her.
27 Ingo, itoy ty nitreako, hoe ty mpañoke, ie tovoñañe ami’ty raha raike ty ila’e, hamoliliañ’ aze;
Behold, this have I found, saith the Preacher; [laying] one thing to another, to find out the account:
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.
which my soul still seeketh, but I have not found: one man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I not found.
29 Inao, te zao avao ty nitreako, te nanoen’ Añahare mahity t’indaty, f’ie mikitro-draha maro.
Behold, this only have I found, that God made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.
