Ohabolana 23
1 Ie miambesatse hitrao-pikama ami’ty mpifehe, biribirio ty añatrefa’o eo,
When you sit to eat with a ruler, consider diligently what is before you;
2 vaho tohoro meso ty tretra’o naho mpanao avetse irehe.
put a knife to your throat if you are a man given to appetite.
3 Ko lelalelae’o o raha mafiri’eo, fa mahakama mahatsikapy.
Don’t be desirous of his dainties, since they are deceitful food.
4 Ko mamokotse vatañe ho mpañaleale, ijihero am-pisafiri’o.
Don’t weary yourself to be rich. In your wisdom, show restraint.
5 Ampihelañe’o fihaino hao ty tsy eo? fa toe mitsene elatse manahake ty vantio ty vara mitiliñe mb’an-dindiñe eñe.
Why do you set your eyes on that which is not? For it certainly sprouts wings like an eagle and flies in the sky.
6 Ko kamae’o ty hàne’ o matitio, ko irie’o o aze mafirio;
Don’t eat the food of him who has a stingy eye, and don’t crave his delicacies,
7 Fa hambañe ami’ty fañereñere’e añ’ova’e ao ty ie: hoe re ama’o; Mikamà naho minoma! fe tsy ama’o ty tro’e.
for as he thinks about the cost, so he is. “Eat and drink!” he says to you, but his heart is not with you.
8 Hilañe’o i pilipito’e nitsopehe’oy, vaho hianto i fañandriaña’oy.
You will vomit up the morsel which you have eaten and waste your pleasant words.
9 Ko misaontsy am-pitsanoña’ ty seretse, fa ho sirikae’e ty hihi’ o enta’oo.
Don’t speak in the ears of a fool, for he will despise the wisdom of your words.
10 Ko avi’o ty nifaritsohañe haehae, vaho ko miaribañe ty tanem-bode-rae,
Don’t move the ancient boundary stone. Don’t encroach on the fields of the fatherless,
11 amy te maozatse ty mpijeba’ iareo; hitohaña’e ty ama’o.
for their Defender is strong. He will plead their case against you.
12 Ampiantofo filie-batañe ty arofo’o, vaho volan-kilàla o ravembia’oo.
Apply your heart to instruction, and your ears to the words of knowledge.
13 Ko ahànkañe ami’ty ana’o ty lilo; fa tsy mahavetrake ty lafan-kobaiñe.
Don’t withhold correction from a child. If you punish him with the rod, he will not die.
Punish him with the rod, and save his soul from Sheol. (Sheol h7585)
15 O anako, naho mahihitse ty tro’o, ho ehake ty troko,
My son, if your heart is wise, then my heart will be glad, even mine.
16 vaho hirebeke ty añ’ovako ao naho mahafivolañe ty hiti’e o soñi’oo.
Yes, my heart will rejoice when your lips speak what is right.
17 Ko apo’o ho tsikirihen-tro’o ty mpandilatse, fe imaneo lomoñandro ty fañeveñañe am’ Iehovà.
Don’t let your heart envy sinners, but rather fear the LORD all day long.
18 Toe ey ty ho avy, vaho tsy haitoañe ty fisalalà’o.
Indeed surely there is a future hope, and your hope will not be cut off.
19 O anako, mitsanoña naho mahihira, vaho avantaño mb’amy lalañey ty tro’o.
Listen, my son, and be wise, and keep your heart on the right path!
20 Ko mitraok’ amo mpitolom-pitrini-divaio, ndra amo mpamotseke henao;
Don’t be amongst ones drinking too much wine, or those who gorge themselves on meat;
21 fa songa hivarin-ko rarake ty mahake naho i jike; vaho hisikin-tsirodea ty poie.
for the drunkard and the glutton shall become poor; and drowsiness clothes them in rags.
22 Tsendreño ty rae nisamak’ azo, vaho ko injè’o ty rene’o t’ie bey.
Listen to your father who gave you life, and don’t despise your mother when she is old.
23 Vilio ty hatò le ko aletake; ikalò hihitse naho anatse vaho hilala.
Buy the truth, and don’t sell it. Get wisdom, discipline, and understanding.
24 Handia taroba ty rae’ i mahitiy; vaho hifalea’e i ana-dahy karafito nampiareñe’ey.
The father of the righteous has great joy. Whoever fathers a wise child delights in him.
25 Ampiehafo ty rae’o naho i rene’o; hampinembanembañ’ i nisamak’ azoy.
Let your father and your mother be glad! Let her who bore you rejoice!
26 O anake, atoloro ahiko ty tro’o, le ampifaleo amo satakoo o maso’oo.
My son, give me your heart; and let your eyes keep in my ways.
27 Kadaha laleke ty tsimirirañe, vaho vovoñe maifitse ty karapilo.
For a prostitute is a deep pit; and a wayward wife is a narrow well.
28 Mivoñoñe ao re hoe malaso, vaho ampitomboe’e am’ondatio ty hatsivokarañe.
Yes, she lies in wait like a robber, and increases the unfaithful amongst men.
29 Ia ty mioremèñe, ia ty mihontoke? Ia ty ampoheke? Ia ty mitoreo? Ia ty vinonotroboke tsy amam-poto’e; Ia ty ama-maso mandofiry?
Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has strife? Who has complaints? Who has needless bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes?
30 O mihenekeneke an-divaio, o mitolom-pitsopeke divay linaroo.
Those who stay long at the wine; those who go to seek out mixed wine.
31 Ko hentea’o ty hamena’ ty divay, ty fimilomilo’e am-pitovy ao, ty falamam-pioriha’e.
Don’t look at the wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it goes down smoothly.
32 Ie am-para’e mitifatse hoe lapetake vaho mihehetse hoe fandrefeala.
In the end, it bites like a snake, and poisons like a viper.
33 Hahaoniñe sahàtse o maso’oo, vaho hivolan-kamengohañe ty ron-doha’o.
Your eyes will see strange things, and your mind will imagine confusing things.
34 Le hanahake ty mitsalalampatse aivo’ i riakey irehe, naho ty mandre ambone’ ty bodan-dain-dakañe eo.
Yes, you will be as he who lies down in the middle of the sea, or as he who lies on top of the rigging:
35 Namofok’ ahy iereo, fe tsy manaintaiñe; linafa’e fe tsy nireiko! Ombia te ho tsekake hipaiako indraike?
“They hit me, and I was not hurt! They beat me, and I don’t feel it! When will I wake up? I can do it again. I will look for more.”
