WHEN THE BELLY'S EMPTY  (Raoul Mahaleo . MALAGASY SONG)

When the belly’s empty,

the mind may wander

Ancestors seem absent

and protect you no longer

But don’t show fear,

don’t show your weak side

Or swarms of tricksters

will devour your hide

Don’t welcome laziness,

as hunger is its price

The Ancestors watch over

all the planters of rice

Working the earth is

the only wealth we have

And those who farm it

will shine far above

Even if life

looks like toil and grind

Even if some

seek to sell off our land

And you know that truth

is too hard to find

They dirty our name,

try to put us down,

Would like to see us

six feet under ground 

The problems are here

for all to see

And even the worst

has come to be

What’s to be done

to heal the pain

The wound is deep,

but let’s act again

Solutions are as many

as grains of sand

So let’s quit talking

and take a stand

But trust is a lie,

it’s acts that hold sway

Chaos may reign,

but we can win the day

Why not travel this road

as friends together

With respect and love,

to help each other

Together we’ll tend

this land of ours

And freedom

will begin to flower

Let’s keep together

to help this land prosper