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 heavy 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 riches, wealth, and honour, so that he lacks nothing for his soul of all that he desires, yet God gives him no power to eat of it, but an alien eats it. This is vanity, and it is 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 fathers a hundred children, and lives many years, so that the days of his years are many, but his soul is not filled with good, and moreover he has no burial, I say that a stillborn child is better than he;
4 Thi dette kom med Forfængelighed og gaar bort i Mørket, og dets Navn bliver skjult i Mørket.
for it comes in vanity, and departs in darkness, and its name is covered with darkness.
5 Det hverken saa eller kendte Sol; det har mere Ro end han.
Moreover it has not seen the sun nor known it. This has rest rather than the other.
6 Ja, dersom han end levede tusinde Aar to Gange og ikke saa det gode, farer dog ikke enhver til et Sted?
Yes, though he live a thousand years twice told, and yet fails to enjoy good, don’t all go to one place?
7 Alt Menneskets Arbejde er for hans Mund; men Sjælen kan dog ikke fyldes.
All the labour of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled.
8 Thi hvad Fortrin har den vise fremfor Daaren? hvad har den fattige, som forstaar at vandre for de levende?
For what advantage has the wise more than the fool? What has the poor man, that knows how to walk before the living?
9 Bedre er, hvad man ser for Øjnene, end Sjælens Begær; ogsaa dette er Forfængelighed og Aandsfortærelse.
Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire. This also is vanity and a chasing after 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.
Whatever has been, its name was given long ago; and it is known what man is; neither can he contend with him who is mightier than he.
11 Thi der er mange Ting, de foraarsage megen Forfængelighed; hvad Fordel har et Menneske deraf?
For there are many words that create vanity. What does that profit man?
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?
For who knows what is good for man in life, all the days of his vain life which he spends like a shadow? For who can tell a man what will be after him under the sun?
