Prædikeren 10
1 Døde Fluer bringe Salvekogerens Salve til at stinke og gære; saaledes kan en liden Daarskab veje mere end Visdom og Ære.
Pestilent flies will corrupt a preparation of sweet ointment: [and] a little wisdom is more precious than great glory of folly.
2 Den vises Hjerte er ved hans højre Side; men Daarens Hjerte er ved hans venstre Side.
A wise man's heart is at his right hand; but a fool's heart at his left.
3 Ogsaa naar Daaren vandrer paa Vejen, fattes han Forstand, og han siger om enhver, at han er en Daare.
Yes, and whenever a fool walks by the way, his heart will fail him, and all that he thinks of is folly.
4 Dersom Herskerens Vrede rejser sig imod dig, da forlad ikke din Plads; thi Sagtmodighed standser store Synder.
If the spirit of the ruler rise up against you, leave not your place; for soothing will put an end to great offenses.
5 Der er et Onde, som jeg saa under Solen, ret som det var en Fejl, der udgaar fra Herskerens Ansigt:
There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, wherein an error has proceeded from the ruler.
6 Daarskaben er sat paa de store Højder, men de rige sidde lavt.
The fool has been set in very high places, while rich men would sit in a low one.
7 Jeg saa Tjenere paa Heste og Fyrster gaa til Fods som Tjenere, paa Jorden.
I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants on the earth.
8 Den som graver en Grav, skal falde i den; og den som nedriver et Gærde, ham skal en Slange bide.
He that digs a pit shall fall into it; and him that breaks down a hedge a serpent shall bite.
9 Hvo som bryder Stene op, skal faa Smerte af dem; hvo som kløver Træ, skal komme i Fare derved.
He that removes stones shall be troubled thereby; he that cleaves wood shall be endangered thereby.
10 Naar Jernet bliver sløvt, og man ikke skærper Æggen, da maa man siden anstrenge Kræfterne; men Visdom er nyttig til at gøre en Ting rettelig.
If the axe-head should fall off, then the man troubles his countenance, and he must put forth more strength: and [in that case] skill is of no advantage to a man.
11 Dersom Slangen bider, gavner Besværgelse intet, og Tungens Ejermand har ingen Fordel.
If a serpent bite when there is no [charmer's] whisper, then there is no advantage to the charmer.
12 Ordene af den vises Mund ere yndige; men Daarens Læber opsluge ham selv.
The words of a wise mouth are gracious: but the lips of a fool will swallow him up.
13 Hans Munds Ords Begyndelse er Daarskab; og det sidste af hans Mund er fordærvelig Galskab.
The beginning of the words of his mouth is folly: and the end of his talk mischievous madness.
14 Og en Daare gør mange Ord; Mennesket kan ikke vide, hvad der skal ske; og hvo kan forkynde ham, hvad der skal ske efter ham.
A fool moreover multiplies words: man knows not what has been, nor what will be: who shall tell him what will come after him?
15 Daarens Arbejde gør ham træt, efterdi han ikke kender Vej til By.
The labor of fools will afflict them, [as that of one] who knows not to go to the city.
16 Ve dig, du Land! hvis Konge er et Barn, og hvis Fyrster æde om Morgenen.
Woe to you, O city, whose king is young, and your princes eat in the morning!
17 Lykkeligt er du, Land! hvis Konge er født af de ypperste, og hvis Fyrster æde i rette Tid til Styrke og ikke til Drukkenskab.
Blessed are you, O land, whose king is a son of nobles, and whose princes shall eat seasonably, for strength, and shall not be ashamed.
18 Ved Ladhed synke Bjælkerne, og ved Hændernes Slaphed drypper det ned i Huset.
By slothful neglect a building will be brought low: and by idleness of the hands the house will fall to pieces.
19 Man gør Maaltid for at le, og Vinen glæder de levende, og Penge gøre alting ud.
Men prepare bread for laughter, and wine and oil that the living should rejoice: but to money all things will humbly yield obedience.
20 Band ikke Kongen, end ikke i din Tanke, og band ikke en rig i dit inderste Sengekammer; thi en Fugl under Himmelen kan føre Røsten frem, og den bevingede bringer Ordet ud.
Even in your conscience, curse not the king; and curse not the rich in your bedchamber: for a bird of the air shall carry your voice, and that which has wings shall report your speech.
