Ohabolana 26
1 Hoe fanala añ’asara, ndra orañe an-tsam-pitatahañe, ty tsy fañevà’ i dagolay fiasiañe.
Like snow in summer or rain in harvest, so a fool does not deserve honor.
2 Hoe ty fikepakepaha’ ty hitikitike naho ty fitiliñam-polinjà, ty tsy ipetaham-patse te tsy amam-bente’e.
As the sparrow flitters and the swallow darts when they fly, so an undeserved curse does not alight.
3 Ty fikiso ho ami’ty soavala, naho ty laboridy ho ami’ty borìke, vaho ty kobaiñe ho an-dambosi’ i dagola.
A whip is for the horse, a bridle is for the donkey and a rod is for the back of fools.
4 Ko toiñe’o ami’ty hanè’e i seretse, hera hanahak’ aze.
Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you will become like him.
5 Valeo mañeva’ i hagegea’ey ty dagola, tsy mone hahihitse ami’ty maso’e.
Answer a fool and join in on his folly, so he will not become wise in his own eyes.
6 Hoe mañitsike tomboke naho migenoke voreke, ty mampisangitrike taratasy am-pitàn-dagola.
Whoever sends a message by the hand of a fool cuts off his own feet and drinks violence.
7 Maletraletra ty fandia’ i kepeke, naho ty razan-drehak’ am-bava’ o seretseo.
Like the legs of a paralytic which hang down is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
8 Hoe mañombe vato am-piletse, ty miasy i gegegege.
Like tying a stone in a sling is giving honor to a fool.
9 Hoe fatike mipok’ an-taña’ i jike, ty razan-drehak’ am-bava’ i dagola.
Like a thorn that goes into the hand of a drunkard is a proverb in the mouth of fools.
10 Ie mampitoloñe ty seretse, le manahake te mañeke mpandrioñe.
Like an archer who wounds all those around him is one who hires a fool or hires anyone who passes by.
11 Hoe amboa mimpoly ami’ty loa’e, ty dagola mamereñe ty hagegea’e.
As a dog returns to his own vomit, so is a fool who repeats his folly.
12 Tsy fa nahaisake ondaty mahihitse am-pihaino’e hao rehe? bey ty fitamà’ i seretsey ta ty aze.
Do you see someone who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
13 Hoe ty votro, Inao liona ty an-damoke eo! Midada an-dalañe ey ty liona!
The lazy person says, “There is a lion on the road! There is a lion between the open places!”
14 Manahake ty figavingavin-dalañe amo soavili’eo, ty tembo am-pandrea’e eo.
As the door turns on its hinges, so is the lazy person upon his bed.
15 Ajo’ i votro am-po finga ao ty taña’e, fe tsy lefe’e ty minday aze mb’am-bava’e.
The lazy person puts his hand into the dish and yet he has no strength to lift it up to his mouth.
16 Mahihitse ami’ty maso’e ty tembo, te ami’ty fito-lahy manoiñe an-kavantañañe.
The lazy person is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who respond with good judgment.
17 Hambañ’ ami’ty mitsepak’ amboa an-tsofi’e, ty mpandrioñe mihilintsioñe ami’ty aly tsy aze.
Like one who takes hold of the ears of a dog, is a passerby who becomes angry at a dispute that is not his own.
18 Hoe ty derendereñe mañiririñe raha mibelañe, naho ana-pale, vaho fampihomahañe,
Like a madman who shoots burning arrows,
19 ty mamitake ondaty ami’ty hoe: Nisolesole avao raho.
is the one who deceives his neighbor and says, “Was I not telling a joke?”
20 Mate ty afo tsy aman-katae, modo ka ty dabasida tsy aman-tsikotsiko.
For lack of wood, the fire goes out; and where there is no gossiper quarreling ceases.
21 Hoe sarebò ami’ty foroha mirekake, naho hatae ami’ty afo, ty famiaña’ i mpanao tsikoniy hañolaña’e aiñe.
As charcoal is to burning coals and wood is to fire, so is a quarrelsome person for kindling strife.
22 Hoe kenoke mafiry ty fivolam-pitàngogo, ie migodoñe mb’añ’ova lalek’ ao.
The words of a gossip are like delicious morsels; they go down into the inner parts of the body.
23 Hoe valàñe-tane nihamineñe taim-piram-bolafoty ty fameleke ampirehetan- kelok’ an-troke ao.
Like the glaze overlaying an earthen vessel so are burning lips and an evil heart.
24 Añonohonoa’ ty famele’e i falaiña’ey, fe añaja’e famañahiañe ty an-tro’e ao.
One who hates others disguises his feelings with his lips and he lays up deceit within himself.
25 Ndra t’ie mirehake fañisohañe, ko iantofa’o, fa pea tiva fito ty an-tro’e ao.
He will speak graciously, but do not believe him, for there are seven abominations in his heart.
26 Aeta’e am-pitake ty halò-tsere’e, fe hiboak’ am-pivory ao ty haloloa’e.
Though his hatred is covered with deception, his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.
27 Higodoñe an-koboñe ao ty nihaly aze, himpoly ama’e ty vato navarimbari’e.
Whoever digs a pit will fall into it and the stone will roll back on the one who pushed it.
28 Heje ty famele’ i remborake o jinoi’eo, mampianto ka ty falie manao kabeake.
A lying tongue hates the people it crushes and a flattering mouth brings about ruin.
