Mpitoriteny 10
1 Ny fatin-dalitra mahamaimbo sy mampamorivory ny menaky ny mpangaroharo zava-manitra; ary toy izany, ny fahadalana kely dia mavesatra noho ny fahendrena sy ny voninahitra.
[A few] dead flies in [a bottle of] perfume cause [all] the perfume to stink. Similarly [SIM], a small amount of acting foolishly can have a greater effect than acting wisely.
2 Ny fon’ ny hendry dia eo ankavanany; fa ny fon’ ny adala kosa dia eo ankaviany.
If people think sensibly, it will lead them to do what is right; if they think foolishly, it causes them to do what is wrong.
3 Ary koa, raha mandeha eny an-dalambe ny adala, dia levona ny fahalalany, ka milaza tena amin’ ny olona rehetra izy fa adala.
Even while foolish people walk along the road, they show that they do not have good sense; they show everyone that they are not wise.
4 Raha tezeran’ ny mpanapaka ianao, aza miala amin’ ny fitoeranao; fa ny fahatsindriam-po mahasakana ny fahadisoana lehibe.
Do not quit working for a ruler when he is angry with you; if you remain calm, he will [probably] stop being angry.
5 Misy ratsy efa hitako atỳ ambanin’ ny masoandro, ka toa fahadisoana ataon’ ny mpanapaka izany;
There is something [else] that I have seen here on this earth, something that rulers sometimes do that is wrong/inappropriate:
6 Asandratra ho ambony indrindra ny adala, ary ny mpanankarena mipetraka eo amin’ ny toerana ambany.
They appoint foolish people to have important positions, while they appoint rich [people] to have unimportant positions.
7 Efa hitako ny mpanompo mitaingin-tsoavaly, ary ny mpanapaka kosa mandeha an-tongotra toy ny mpanompo.
They allow slaves [to ride] on horses [like rich people usually do], [but] they force officials to walk [like slaves usually do].
8 Izay mihady lavaka no ho latsaka ao, ary izay mandrava fefy vato no hokekerin’ ny menarana.
[It is possible that] those who dig pits will fall into one of those pits. [It is possible that] someone who tears down a wall will be bitten by a snake [that is in that wall].
9 Izay manovoka vato dia haratrany, ary izay mamaky hazo no ho voany.
If you work in a quarry, [it is possible that] a stone [will fall on you and] injure you. [It is possible that] men who split logs will be injured by one of those logs.
10 Raha dombo ny antsy ka tsy asainy, dia tsy maintsy manao an-teninaina izy; fa ny fahendrena no mahasoa, satria mahalavorary ny raharaha izany.
If your axe is not sharp [DOU], you will need to work harder [to cut down a tree], but by being wise, you will succeed.
11 Raha manaikitra ny menarana, satria tsy mbola nasiana ody, dia ahoana no mahatsara ny mpanao ody?
If a snake bites a man before he charms/tames it, his ability to charm snakes will not benefit him.
12 Soa ny teny aloaky ny vavan’ ny hendry; fa ny molotry ny adala kosa mitelina ny tenany.
Wise people say [MTY] what is sensible, and because of that, people honor them; but foolish people are destroyed by what they say [MTY].
13 Ny fiandohan’ ny teny aloaky ny vavany dia fahadalana, ary ny fiafaran’ ny teniny dia fahaverezan-tsaina mampidi-doza.
When foolish people start to talk, they say things that are foolish, and they end by saying things that are both wicked and foolish.
14 Maro teny ny adala nefa tsy misy olona mahalala izay ho avy; ary iza no mahalaza aminy ny ho avy any aoriany?
They talk (too much/without ceasing). None of us knows what will happen in the future, or what will happen after we die.
15 Ny fisasaran’ ny adala mahareraka azy, fa ny lalana mankany an-tanàna aza tsy fantany akory.
Foolish people become [so] exhausted by the work that they do that they are unable to find the road to their town/homes.
16 Lozanao, ry tany, raha zaza no mpanjakanao, ary ny lehibenao homa-maraina!
Terrible things will happen to the people of a nation whose ruler is a foolish young man, and whose [other] leaders continually eat, all day long, every day.
17 Sambatra kosa ianao, ry tany, raha tena karazan’ andriana no mpanjakanao, ary ny lehibenao homana amin’ izay fotoana mety, mba hampahatanjaka ny tenany, fa tsy ny hampahamamo azy!
[But] a nation will prosper if its ruler is from a (noble/well-educated) family, and if its [other] leaders feast [only] at the proper times, and [if they eat and drink only] to be strong, not to become drunk.
18 Ny fahalainana be no mampianjera ny lohatrano, ary ny hakamoan’ ny tanana no mampitete ny trano.
Some men are very lazy [and do not repair the rafters], with the result that the rafters sag [and collapse]; and if they do not repair the roof, water will leak into the house [when it rains].
19 Ataony laolao ny hanina, ary ny divay no maharavoravo ny aina, ary ny vola no hahazoana ny zavatra rehetra.
Eating food and drinking wine causes us to laugh and be happy, [but] we are able to enjoy those things only if we have money [to buy them].
20 Aza manozona ny mpanjaka na dia amin’ ny eritreritrao aza; ary aza manozona ny mpanankarena na dia ao anatin’ ny efi-trano fandrianao aza; fa na dia ny voro-manidina aza anie ka hitondra ny feo, ary na dia ny manana elatra dia hanambara ny teny.
Do not even think about cursing the king, or cursing rich [people, even] when you are [alone] in your bedroom, because [it is possible that] a little bird will hear [what you are saying], [and] tell those people what you said [about them].
