Ecclesiastes 9
1 I thought about all those things, and I concluded that God controls [what happens to] everyone, even those who are wise and those who are righteous. No one knows whether [others] will love them or whether they will hate them.
Fa ireto dia nalatsako tato am-poko sady nodinihiko avokoa: ny marina sy ny hendry mbamin’ ny asany dia samy eo an-tànan’ Andriamanitra avokoa; ary koa, na ho fitiavana, na ho fankahalana, dia samy tsy fantatry ny olombelona; fa zavatra mbola ho avy aminy avokoa izany rehetra izany.
2 [But we know that some time in the future] we will all die; it does not matter whether we act righteously or wickedly, whether we are good or whether we are bad, whether we are acceptable for [worshiping God] or whether [we have done things to cause us to be] unacceptable; it does not matter if we offer sacrifices [to God] or if we do not; it does not matter if we do what we have promised God that we will do or if we do not; [we all die]. The same thing will happen to good people and to sinful people, to those who solemnly promise [to do things for God] and to those who are afraid to make such promises.
Mitovy avokoa ny manjo ny olombelona rehetra; eny, zavatra iray ihany no manjo ny marina sy ny meloka, ny tsara fanahy sy ny madio ary ny tsy madio, ny mamono zavatra hatao fanatitra sy ny tsy mamono zavatra hatao fanatitra; mitovy ihany ny amin’ ny tsara fanahy sy ny amin’ ny mpanota, ary ny amin’ ny mianiana sy ny amin’ izay tsy sahy hianiana.
3 It seems wrong that the same thing happens to everyone on this earth: Everyone dies [EUP]. Furthermore, people’s inner beings are full of evil. People do foolish things while they are alive, and then they die and join those who are already dead.
Izao no fahoriana amin’ izay rehetra atao atỳ ambanin’ ny masoandro: Zavatra iray ihany no manjo ny olombelona rehetra, sady feno ratsy ny fon’ ny zanak’ olombelona, ka fahadalana no ao am-pony amin’ ny andro iainany, ary nony afaka izany, dia ho any amin’ ny maty izy.
4 While we are alive, we confidently expect [that good things will happen to us]. [We despise] dogs, but it is better to be a dog that is alive than to be a [majestic] lion that is dead.
Fa izay rehetra isan’ ny velona dia mbola hantenaina; fa ny amboa velona no tsara noho ny liona maty.
5 We who are alive know that [some day] we will die, but dead people do not know anything. Dead people do not receive any more rewards, and people soon forget them.
Fa fantatry ny velona fa ho faty izy; fa ny maty kosa tsy mba mahalala na inona na inona, ary tsy manana valim-pitia intsony izy; fa hadino ny fahatsiarovana azy.
6 [While they were alive], they loved [some people], they hated [some people], they envied [some people], but that all ends when they die. They will never again be a part of anything that happens here on the earth.
Na ny fitiavany, na ny fankahalany, na ny fialonany, dia samy efa levona ela sady tsy manana anjara intsony mandrakizay amin’ izay atao atỳ ambanin’ ny masoandro izy.
7 [So I say], be joyful [DOU] while you eat your food and drink your wine, because that is what God wants you to do.
Mandehana, hano amin’ ny fifaliana ny haninao, ary sotroy amin’ ny fo falifaly ny divainao, fa efa nankasitrahan’ Andriamanitra ela ny asanao.
8 Wear nice [MTY] clothes and make your face look nice.
Aoka ho fotsy mandrakariva ny fitafianao, ary aoka tsy ho diso menaka ny lohanao.
9 Enjoy living with your wife whom you love, all during the time that God has given to you to be alive here on this earth. And even though it is difficult to understand why many things happen, enjoy doing the work that you do here on this earth.
Miravoravoa amin’ ny vady malalanao amin’ ny andronao rehetra mandalo foana, izay efa nomeny anao atỳ ambanin’ ny masoandro, dia ny andronao rehetra mandalo foana; fa izany no anjaranao amin’ ny andro iainanao sy amin’ ny fisasarana izay isasaranao atỳ ambanin’ ny masoandro.
10 Whatever you are able to do, do it with all your energy, because [some time you will die], and in the place of the dead where you are going, no one works or plans to do anything or knows anything or is wise. (Sheol h7585)
Izay rehetra azon’ ny tananao atao dia ataovy amin’ ny herinao; fa tsy misy asa, na hevitra, na fahalalana, na fahendrena, any amin’ ny fiainan-tsi-hita izay alehanao. (Sheol h7585)
11 I have seen something else here on the earth: The person who runs fastest does not [always] win the race, the strongest soldiers do not [always] win the battle, the wisest people do not [always] have food, the smartest people do not [always] become rich, and people who have studied a lot are not [always] (honored/treated very specially) by others; we cannot [always] control what things will happen to us and where they will happen.
Ary hitako atỳ ambanin’ ny masoandro indray fa tsy ho an’ ny haingan-tongotra ny fihoarana, ary tsy ho an’ ny mahery ny ady, ary tsy ho an’ ny hendry ny hanina, ary tsy ho an’ ny mazava saina ny harena, ary tsy ho an’ ny manam-pahalalana ny fitia; fa ny fotoana sy ny sampona dia samy mahazo azy rehetra.
12 No one knows when he will die [EUP]; fish are cruelly caught in a net, and birds are caught in snares/traps; similarly [SIM], people experience disasters at times when they do not expect them to happen.
Fa tsy fantatry ny olona ny androny; fa toy ny hazandrano azon’ ny harato fahitan-doza izy, ary toy ny voron-kely izay voan’ ny fandrika, dia voafandrika toy izany ny zanak’ olombelona amin’ ny andro mahory, raha mahavoa azy tampoka izany.
13 Once I saw something that a wise man did that impressed me.
Izao koa no fahendrena efa hitako tatỳ ambanin’ ny masoandro, ka dia nataoko ho lehibe izany:
14 There was a small town, where only a few people lived. The army of a great king came to that town and surrounded it. They built dirt ramps up against the walls in order to climb up and attack the town.
Nisy vohitra kely sady vitsy olona, dia avy ny mpanjaka lehibe anankiray ka namely sy nanao fahirano azy ary nanao manda lehibe hamelezany azy.
15 In that town there was a man who was poor but very wise. Because of doing what that man [suggested], the town was saved; but people [soon] forgot about him.
Ary nisy lehilahy malahelo hendry hita teo, koa nahavonjy ny tanàna tamin’ ny fahendreny ralehilahy, nefa tsy nisy olona mba nahatsiahy ilay malahelo.
16 So I realized that although being wise is better than being strong, if you are poor, no one will appreciate what you do, and people will soon forget what you said.
Koa hoy izaho: Aleo fahendrena toy izay hery; kanjo hamavoina ny fahendren’ ny malahelo, ary ny teniny tsy mba henoina.
17 Speaking quietly what is [very] wise is [much] more sensible than a king shouting to foolish people.
Ny tenin’ ny hendry izay re amin’ ny mangingina dia mahery noho ny fitreron’ izay mpanapaka adala.
18 Being wise is more useful than [a lot of] weapons; but if you do one foolish thing, [it is possible that] because of doing that, you will ruin all the good things that you have done.
Aleo fahendrena toy izay fiadiana; ary ny mpanota iray mahasimba ny soa be.
