1Send forth thy bread on the face of the waters, For in the multitude of the days thou dost find it.
1Atsipazo eny ambonin'ny rano ny haninao, fa ho hitanao ihany izy rehefa ela.
2Give a portion to seven, and even to eight, For thou knowest not what evil is on the earth.
2Samy omeo anjara ny fito, ary na dia ny valo aza, fa tsy fantatrao izay fahoriana hanjo atỳ ambonin'ny tany.
3If the thick clouds are full of rain, On the earth they empty [themselves]; And if a tree doth fall in the south or to the north, The place where the tree falleth, there it is.
3Raha feno ranonorana ny rahona, dia halatsany amin'ny tany izany; ary na mianjera mianatsimo na mianavaratra ny hazo, dia eo amin'izay ianjerany ihany no handriany.
4Whoso is observing the wind soweth not, And whoso is looking on the thick clouds reapeth not.
4Izay fatra-pihevitra ny rivotra tsy hamafy, ary izay manahy ny rahona tsy hijinja.[Heb. mijery]
5As thou knowest not what [is] the way of the spirit, How — bones in the womb of the full one, So thou knowest not the work of God who maketh the whole.
5Toy ny tsy ahafantaranao ny amin'ny alehan'ny rivotra, na ny amin'ny fitombon'ny taolana ao an-kibon'izay manan'anaka, dia toy izany no tsy ahafantaranao ny asan'Andriamanitra, Mpanao ny zavatra rehetra.
6In the morning sow thy seed, And at even withdraw not thy hand, For thou knowest not which is right, this or that, Or whether both of them alike [are] good.
6Amin'ny maraina dia afafazo ny voanao, ary amin'ny hariva dia aza atsahatra ny tananao; fa tsy fantatrao izay ho vanona, na ny teo aloha, na ny teo aoriana, na angamba samy ho vanona avokoa izy roa tonta.
7Sweet also [is] the light, And good for the eyes to see the sun.
7Mamy tokoa ny mazava, ary mahafinaritra ny maso ny mijery ny masoandro;
8But, if man liveth many years, In all of them let him rejoice, And remember the days of darkness, For they are many! all that is coming [is] vanity.
8fa na dia ela velona aza ny olona, dia aoka ho faly amin'ny androny rehetra izy ka hahatsiaro ny andro maizina, fa ho maro ireny: izay rehetra ho avy dia zava-poana.
9Rejoice, O young man, in thy childhood, And let thy heart gladden thee in days of thy youth, And walk in the ways of thy heart, And in the sight of thine eyes, And know thou that for all these, Doth God bring thee into judgment.
9[Anatra ho an'ny tanora fanahy mba hanampoizany ny hihavian'ny fahanterana sy ny fahafatesana] Mifalia, ry zatovo, dieny mbola tanora ianao; ary aoka ny fonao hampifalifaly anao amin'ny andro fahatanoranao; ka mandehana any amin'izay sitraky ny fonao sy izay jeren'ny masonao; nefa aoka ho fantatrao fa ho entin'Andriamanitra hotsaraina ianao amin'izany rehetra izany.Koa esory ao am-ponao ny alahelo, ary avilio tsy hikasika ny nofonao ny ratsy; fa ny fahatanorana sy ny fahatanjahana dia samy zava-poana.
10And turn aside anger from thy heart, And cause evil to pass from thy flesh, For the childhood and the age [are] vanity!
10Koa esory ao am-ponao ny alahelo, ary avilio tsy hikasika ny nofonao ny ratsy; fa ny fahatanorana sy ny fahatanjahana dia samy zava-poana.