Prædikeren 6
1 Der er en Ulykke, som jeg saa under Solen, og den er svar over Menneskene:
There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is hard on men;
2 Naar der er en Mand, hvem Gud giver Rigdom og Gods og Ære, og han fattes intet for sin Sjæl af alt det, som han vil begære, og Gud giver ham ikke Magt til at æde deraf, men en fremmed Mand fortærer det: Da er dette Forfængelighed og en slem Lidelse.
A man to whom God gives money, wealth, and honour so that he has all his desires but God does not give him the power to have joy of it, and a strange man takes it. This is to no purpose and an evil disease.
3 Dersom en Mand avlede hundrede Børn og levede mange Aar, saa hans Aars Dage bleve mange, og hans Sjæl dog ikke mættedes af det gode, og han heller ingen Begravelse fik: Saa siger jeg, at et utidigt Foster er bedre faren end han.
If a man has a hundred children, and his life is long so that the days of his years are great in number, but his soul takes no pleasure in good, and he is not honoured at his death; I say that a birth before its time is better than he.
4 Thi dette kom med Forfængelighed og gaar bort i Mørket, og dets Navn bliver skjult i Mørket.
In wind it came and to the dark it will go, and with the dark will its name be covered.
5 Det hverken saa eller kendte Sol; det har mere Ro end han.
Yes, it saw not the sun, and it had no knowledge; it is better with this than with the other.
6 Ja, dersom han end levede tusinde Aar to Gange og ikke saa det gode, farer dog ikke enhver til et Sted?
And though he goes on living a thousand years twice over and does not see good, are not the two going to the same place?
7 Alt Menneskets Arbejde er for hans Mund; men Sjælen kan dog ikke fyldes.
All the work of man is for his mouth, and still he has a desire for food.
8 Thi hvad Fortrin har den vise fremfor Daaren? hvad har den fattige, som forstaar at vandre for de levende?
What have the wise more than the foolish? and what has the poor man by walking wisely before the living?
9 Bedre er, hvad man ser for Øjnene, end Sjælens Begær; ogsaa dette er Forfængelighed og Aandsfortærelse.
What the eyes see is better than the wandering of desire. This is to no purpose and a desire for wind.
10 Hvad en er — hans Navn er allerede nævnt, og det er vitterligt, at han er et Menneske; og han kan ikke trætte med den, som er ham for mægtig.
That which is, has been named before, and of what man is there is knowledge. He has no power against one stronger than he.
11 Thi der er mange Ting, de foraarsage megen Forfængelighed; hvad Fordel har et Menneske deraf?
There are words without number for increasing what is to no purpose, but what is man profited by them?
12 Thi hvo ved, hvad der er godt for Mennesket i dette Liv, i hans Forfængeligheds Livsdages Tal, hvilke han tilbringer som en Skygge? thi hvo vil kundgøre et Menneske, hvad der skal ske efter ham under Solen?
Who is able to say what is good for man in life all the days of his foolish life which he goes through like a shade? who will say what is to be after him under the sun?
