Ohabolana 26
1 Hoe fanala añ’asara, ndra orañe an-tsam-pitatahañe, ty tsy fañevà’ i dagolay fiasiañe.
Honoring someone stupid is as inappropriate as snow in the summer or rain during harvest.
2 Hoe ty fikepakepaha’ ty hitikitike naho ty fitiliñam-polinjà, ty tsy ipetaham-patse te tsy amam-bente’e.
A curse that isn't deserved won't land on the person, like a fluttering sparrow or a flitting swallow.
3 Ty fikiso ho ami’ty soavala, naho ty laboridy ho ami’ty borìke, vaho ty kobaiñe ho an-dambosi’ i dagola.
Horses need a whip, donkeys need a bridle, and stupid people need a rod on their backs!
4 Ko toiñe’o ami’ty hanè’e i seretse, hera hanahak’ aze.
Don't answer stupid people following their stupidity, or you'll become as bad as them.
5 Valeo mañeva’ i hagegea’ey ty dagola, tsy mone hahihitse ami’ty maso’e.
Answer stupid people following their stupidity, otherwise they'll think they're wise.
6 Hoe mañitsike tomboke naho migenoke voreke, ty mampisangitrike taratasy am-pitàn-dagola.
Trusting someone stupid to deliver a message is like cutting of your feet or drinking poison.
7 Maletraletra ty fandia’ i kepeke, naho ty razan-drehak’ am-bava’ o seretseo.
A proverb spoken by someone stupid is as useless as a lame person's legs.
8 Hoe mañombe vato am-piletse, ty miasy i gegegege.
Honoring someone stupid is as pointless as tying a stone into a sling.
9 Hoe fatike mipok’ an-taña’ i jike, ty razan-drehak’ am-bava’ i dagola.
A proverb spoken by someone stupid is as ridiculous as a thorn bush waved around by a drunk.
10 Ie mampitoloñe ty seretse, le manahake te mañeke mpandrioñe.
Anyone who hires someone stupid or just a passer-by is like an archer wounding people by shooting arrows at random.
11 Hoe amboa mimpoly ami’ty loa’e, ty dagola mamereñe ty hagegea’e.
Stupid people repeat their stupidity like a dog returning to its vomit.
12 Tsy fa nahaisake ondaty mahihitse am-pihaino’e hao irehe? bey ty fitamà’ i seretsey ta ty aze.
Have you seen a man who is wise in his own eyes? There's more hope for stupid people than for him!
13 Hoe ty votro, Inao liona ty an-damoke eo! Midada an-dalañe ey ty liona!
Lazy people are the ones who say, “There's a lion on the road—a lion running around the streets!”
14 Manahake ty figavingavin-dalañe amo soavili’eo, ty tembo am-pandrea’e eo.
A lazy person turns in bed like a door turns on its hinge.
15 Ajo’ i votro am-po finga ao ty taña’e, fe tsy lefe’e ty minday aze mb’am-bava’e.
Lazy people put their hands in a dish, but are too tired to lift the food to their mouths.
16 Mahihitse ami’ty maso’e ty tembo, te ami’ty fito-lahy manoiñe an-kavantañañe.
In their own eyes lazy people are wiser than many sensible advisors.
17 Hambañ’ ami’ty mitsepak’ amboa an-tsofi’e, ty mpandrioñe mihilintsioñe ami’ty aly tsy aze.
Interfering in someone else's quarrel is like grabbing a stray dog by the ears.
18 Hoe ty derendereñe mañiririñe raha mibelañe, naho ana-pale, vaho fampihomahañe,
You're like a crazy person firing off blazing arrows and killing people
19 ty mamitake ondaty ami’ty hoe: Nisolesole avao iraho.
if you lie to your friend and then say, “I was only joking!”
20 Mate ty afo tsy aman-katae, modo ka ty dabasida tsy aman-tsikotsiko.
Without wood, the fire goes out; and without gossips, arguments stop.
21 Hoe sarebò ami’ty foroha mirekake, naho hatae ami’ty afo, ty famiaña’ i mpanao tsikoniy hañolaña’e aiñe.
An argumentative person fires up quarrels like putting charcoal on hot embers or wood on a fire.
22 Hoe kenoke mafiry ty fivolam-pitàngogo, ie migodoñe mb’añ’ova lalek’ ao.
Listening to gossip is like gulping down bites of your favorite food—they go deep down inside you.
23 Hoe valàñe-tane nihamineñe taim-piram-bolafoty ty fameleke ampirehetan- kelok’ an-troke ao.
Smooth talking with evil intent is like a shiny lead glaze on an earthenware pot.
24 Añonohonoa’ ty famele’e i falaiña’ey, fe añaja’e famañahiañe ty an-tro’e ao.
People say nice things to you even though they hate you; deep down they're just lying to you.
25 Ndra t’ie mirehake fañisohañe, ko iantofa’o, fa pea tiva fito ty an-tro’e ao.
When people talk nicely to you, don't believe them—their minds are full of hate for you.
26 Aeta’e am-pitake ty halò-tsere’e, fe hiboak’ am-pivory ao ty haloloa’e.
Even though their hatred may be hidden by cunning tricks, their evil will be revealed to everyone.
27 Higodoñe an-koboñe ao ty nihaly aze, himpoly ama’e ty vato navarimbari’e.
Those who dig pits to trap others will fall in themselves, and those who start boulders rolling will be crushed themselves.
28 Heje ty famele’ i remborake o jinoi’eo, mampianto ka ty falie manao kabeake.
If you tell lies, you show you hate your victims; if you flatter people, you cause disaster.
