Ohabolana 18
1 Mañean-drao ty mirery, tsambolitio’e ze atao vere-to.
Those who separate themselves [from other people] think [only] about those things that they are interested in; [if they would continually associate with] those who have good judgment/sense, they would constantly disagree/quarrel with them.
2 Tsy no’ i dagolay ty faharendrehañe, fa ty mampiboake ty heve’e avao.
Foolish people do not want to understand [anything]; they only want to (express their [own] opinions/say what they think) [IDM].
3 Ie pok’eo ty tsivokatse, mipotìtse eo ka ty teratera, vaho indrezan-kasalarañe ty inje.
Whenever people do wicked things, others will despise them; when people do things that cause themselves to no [longer] be honored, they will be disgraced [also].
4 Rano laleke ty fisaontsim-palie’ ondaty, torahañe mibobobobo ty figoangoañan-kihitse.
What wise people say is [like] a deep ocean [that you can never get to the bottom of] [MET], and it [refreshes us like water from] a rapidly flowing stream.
5 Tsy mahasoa te osiheñe ty raty, hikihoañe ty vañoñe an-jaka.
It is not good [for a judge] to decide matters in favor of those who (are guilty/have done wicked things) and to not do what is just for those who (are innocent/have not done what is wrong).
6 Mikaidraha o soñi’ i dagolao, naho mikai-tampify ty vava’e.
When foolish people [SYN] start arguments, [it is as though] they [SYN] are requesting/inviting someone to flog/whip them.
7 Fiantoa’ i seretsey ty vava’e, vaho mpamandrike ty fiai’e o soñi’eo.
What foolish people [MTY] say causes them to be ruined; their [own] words are [like] a trap [MET] [that catches/seizes] them.
8 Kenoke mafiry ty fivolam-pitolom-boetse, migodoñe mb’añ’ova’ ondaty ao.
[People enjoy listening to] what gossips say like [SIM] [they enjoy] tasty food; they [accept what gossips tell them like] [MET] they swallow tasty food.
9 Rahalahi’ ty mpijoy, ty mpilesa am-pitoloña’e.
People who are lazy while they work are [just as bad] as [IDM] those who destroy things.
10 Fitalakesañ’abo fatratse ty tahina’ Iehovà, milay mb’ama’e ao ty vantañe vaho onjoneñe tsy takatse.
Yahweh [MTY] is [like] a strong tower [MET]; righteous people [can] go to him and be safe [like they can run to a tower to be safe].
11 Rova fatratse ty varam-pañaleale, naho hoe kijoly abo añ’ereñere’e ao.
Rich people [are protected because they have] a lot of money [PRS] like a city is protected because it has a high wall surrounding it [SIM].
12 Aolo’ ty ikorovoha’ ondaty ty fiebotseboran-tro’e, fe miaolo’ ty hasiñe ty firehañe.
Proud people are on the road to being ruined, but being humble leads to being honored.
13 Ie manoiñe aolo’ t’ie mitsanoñe: le hagegea’e naho hasalara’e.
Those who reply to someone before that person has finished speaking are foolish; doing that is disgraceful.
14 Mahafeake hasilofañe ty tro’ ondaty, fa ia ka ty mahaleo ty fikoretan’ arofo.
A desire to [continue to] live can sustain someone when he is sick; if he loses that desire, he (cannot endure it/will become very discouraged) when he is sick [RHQ].
15 Mitoha hilala ty tro’ i mahatsikarake, vaho mañotsohotso hihitse an-dravembia’e ty mahilala.
Intelligent people [are always wanting to] learn more; wise people [SYN] are not content with what they already know.
16 Anokafan-dalañe ty ravoravo’ ondaty, manese aze hiatreke ty bey.
If you take a gift to an important person, that will open the way to allow you to talk to him.
17 Heveren-ko to ty mitalily valoha’e, ampara’ te pok’eo ty mañody aze.
The first person to present his case in court seems right, but when (someone else/his opponent) begins to ask him questions, [it may become clear that what he said was not true].
18 Abala’ ty tora-tsato-piso ty fifandierañe, ie mampivike ty mpifanjomotse.
If two influential/important people are arguing, [someone can] settle the matter by (casting lots/throwing marked stones to decide who is right).
19 Mora ty mandreketse rova fatratse, ta ty rañetse torifike, vaho hoe tsotso-bim-pitilik’abo ty fifanjomorañe.
If you help relatives, they will [protect you] like [SIM] a strong wall [protects a city], but if you quarrel with them, [that will separate you from them] like bars on a city gate [separate the city from those who want to enter it] [MET].
20 Ty havokaram-palie’ ondaty ro mahaenem-pisafoa, o vokam-pivimbi’eo ro maha-anjañe.
People are happy when they hear others say [MTY] something that is good, [like] they are happy when they eat food that is good [MET].
21 Manandily ami’ ty haveloñe naho ami’ty havilasy ty fameleke, hikama amo vokare’eo ze mikoko aze.
What you say can cause others to be killed or it can cause them to [continue to] live; [so] those who like [to talk a lot] must (accept the consequences/realize that what they say can cause much harm).
22 Mahaonin-kasoa ty tendreke valy, vaho isohe’ Iehovà.
If you marry a [good] woman, that is [like] finding a wonderful thing; [it shows that] Yahweh is pleased with you.
23 Mihalaly tretrè ty rarake, fe sotrafe’ ty mpitsikafo.
[It is necessary for] poor [people] to speak politely when they request [rich people to do something for them], but rich [people] reply very impolitely when poor people speak to them.
24 Mianto t’indaty lako rañetse, fe ao ty ate-hena mipiteke soa te ami’ty rahalahy.
There are [some] people who [only] pretend to be friends [with us], but there are [some] friends who are more loyal than members of our families.
