This proverb emphasizes two primary reasons for marriage and having children in Merina culture. Marriage is seen as a means to achieve happiness and contentment in life, while having children is linked to future prosperity and the continuation of the family line. In other words, each individual aims to achieve a happy life through a successful marriage and hopes their children will bring joy and prosperity. The equivalent English proverb could be: ‘People marry for happiness and have children for a prosperous future’.