Prædikeren 4
1 Og jeg vendte tilbage og saa alle de undertrykte, som ilde medhandles under Solen; og se, de undertryktes Taarer, og der var ingen, som trøstede dem, og fra deres Undertrykkeres Haand udgik Vold; derimod havde de ingen, som trøstede dem.
Once again I thought about all the oppression that is done under the sun. And behold, the tears of oppressed people, and they had no one to comfort them! Power was in the hand of their oppressors, and there was no one to comfort them!
2 Da prisede jeg de døde, som alt vare døde, fremfor de levende, som endnu ere i Live;
So I considered those who are already dead more fortunate than the living, who are still alive.
3 men lykkelig fremfor begge dog den, som endnu ikke har været til, som ikke har set den onde Gerning, der gøres under Solen.
However, more fortunate than both of them is the one who has not yet lived, the one who has not seen any of the evil acts that are done under the sun.
4 Og jeg saa alt Arbejde og al Dygtighed i Gerningen, at det paadrog en Mand Misundelse af hans Næste; ogsaa dette er Forfængelighed og Aandsfortærelse.
Then I saw that every act of labor and every skillful work became the envy of one's neighbor. This also is vapor and an attempt to shepherd the wind.
5 Daaren lægger sine Hænder sammen og fortærer sit eget Kød.
The fool folds his hands and does not work, so his food is his own flesh.
6 En Haandfuld med Ro er bedre end begge Næver fulde med Møje og Aandsfortærelse.
But better is a handful of profit with quiet work than two handfuls with the work that tries to shepherd the wind.
7 Og jeg vendte tilbage og saa Forfængelighed under Solen:
Then I thought again about more futility, more vanishing vapor under the sun.
8 Der er den, som er ene og ikke har nogen anden og har hverken Søn eller Broder; dog er der ingen Ende paa alt hans Arbejde, og hans Øjne mættes ikke af Rigdom; — og: „For hvem arbejder jeg og lader min Sjæl fattes det gode‟? ogsaa dette er Forfængelighed og en slem Møje.
There is the kind of man who is alone. He does not have anyone, no son or brother. There is no end to all his work, and his eyes are not satisfied with gaining wealth. He wonders, “For whom am I toiling and depriving myself of pleasure?” This also is vapor, a bad situation.
9 Bedre to end een; thi de have en god Løn for deres Arbejde.
Two people work better than one; together they can earn a good pay for their labor.
10 Thi dersom de falde, kan den ene oprejse sin Stalbroder, men ve den, som er ene; naar han falder, er der ingen anden til at oprejse ham.
For if one falls, the other can lift up his friend. However, sorrow follows the one who is alone when he falls if there is no one to lift him up.
11 Ogsaa naar to ligge sammen, da have de Varme; men hvorledes kan en alene blive varm?
If two lie down together, they can be warm, but how can one be warm alone?
12 Og om nogen vilde overvælde ham, som er ene, kunde to staa ham imod; og den tredobbelte Traad sønderrives ikke saa snart.
One man alone can be overpowered, but two can withstand an attack, and a three-strand rope is not quickly broken.
13 Bedre faren er et ungt Menneske, som er viist, end en gammel Konge, som er en Daare, og som endnu ikke ved at lade sig advare.
It is better to be a poor but wise youth than an old and foolish king who no longer knows how to listen to warnings.
14 Thi af Fangehuset udgik hin for at blive Konge, medens den, som var født i sit Kongerige, blev fattig.
This is true even if the young man becomes king from prison, or even if he was born poor in his kingdom.
15 Jeg saa alle dem, som leve, som vandre under Solen, at holde sig til det andet unge Menneske, der indtager hans Sted.
I saw everyone who was alive and was walking around under the sun, along with a youth who was to rise up to take his place.
16 Der var ikke Ende paa alt det Folk, paa alt det, som han gik i Spidsen for, dog skulle Efterkommerne ikke glædes over ham: Thi ogsaa dette er Forfængelighed og Aandsfortærelse.
There is no end to all the people who want to obey the new king, but later many of them will no longer praise him. Surely this situation is vapor and an attempt to shepherd the wind.
