Prædikeren 7
1 Bedre er et godt Navn end en god Salve og Dødens Dag end ens Fødselsdag.
A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one’s birth.
2 Det er bedre at gaa til Sørgehuset end at gaa til Gæstebudshuset, fordi hint er hvert Menneskes Endeligt; og den levende skal lægge sig det paa Hjerte.
It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart.
3 Græmmelse er bedre end Latter; thi, naar Ansigtet ser ilde ud, kan Hjertet have det godt.
Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.
4 De vises Hjerte er i Sorrigs Hus; men Daarernes Hjerte er i Glædes Hus.
The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
5 Det er bedre at høre Skænd af den vise, end at man hører Sang af Daarer.
It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools.
6 Thi som Tjørne sprage under Gryden, saa er Daarers Latter; ogsaa dette er Forfængelighed.
For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity.
7 Thi Fortrykkelse kan gøre en viis gal, og Gave kan fordærve et Hjerte.
Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad; and a gift destroyeth the heart.
8 Enden paa en Ting er bedre end Begyndelsen derpaa; bedre langmodig end hovmodig.
Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.
9 Vær ikke hastig i dit Sind til at fortørnes; thi Fortørnelse hviler i Daarers Barm.
Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.
10 Sig ikke: Hvoraf kom det, at de forrige Dage vare bedre end disse? thi du spørger ikke om saadant af Visdom.
Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not enquire wisely concerning this.
11 Visdom er god som et Arvegods, ja bedre for dem, som skue Solen;
Wisdom is good with an inheritance: and by it there is profit to them that see the sun.
12 thi at være under Visdoms Skygge, er at være under Penges Skygge; og Kundskabs Fortrin er: At Visdommen giver dem Livet, som eje den.
For wisdom is a defence, and money is a defence: but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom giveth life to them that have it.
13 Se Guds Gerning; thi hvo kan gøre det lige, som han gør kroget?
Consider the work of God: for who can make that straight, which he hath made crooked?
14 Vær ved et godt Mod paa en god Dag, men betænk paa en ond Dag, at Gud har gjort denne ved Siden af den anden, for at Mennesket ikke skal finde noget, som skal ske efter ham.
In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: God also hath set the one over against the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him.
15 Alt det har jeg set i min Forfængeligheds Dage: Der er en retfærdig, som omkommer i sin Retfærdighed, og der er en ugudelig, som lever længe i sin Ondskab.
All things have I seen in the days of my vanity: there is a just man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth his life in his wickedness.
16 Vær ikke alt for retfærdig, og te dig ikke overvættes viis; hvorfor vil du ødelægge dig selv?
Be not righteous over much; neither make thyself over wise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself?
17 Vær ikke alt for uretfærdig, og vær ikke en Daare; hvorfor skulde du dø i Utide?
Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time?
18 Det er godt, at du holder fast ved det ene, men du skal og ikke lade din Haand af fra det andet; thi den, som frygter Gud, undgaar det alt.
It is good that thou shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from this withdraw not thine hand: for he that feareth God shall come forth of them all.
19 Visdom styrker en viis mere end ti vældige, som ere i en Stad.
Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty men which are in the city.
20 Thi der er ikke et Menneske retfærdigt paa Jorden, som gør godt og ikke synder.
For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.
21 Læg ikke heller paa dit Hjerte alle de Ord, som man siger, at du ikke skal høre din Tjener forbande dig.
Also take no heed unto all words that are spoken; lest thou hear thy servant curse thee:
22 Thi dit Hjerte ved ogsaa de mange Gange, da du selv har forbandet andre.
For oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.
23 Alt det har jeg forsøgt med Visdommen; jeg sagde: Jeg vil opnaa Visdom, men den forblev langt fra mig.
All this have I proved by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.
24 Det, som er til, er langt borte og dybt, dybt! hvo kan finde det?
That which is far off, and exceeding deep, who can find it out?
25 Jeg vendte mig om med mit Hjerte, for at forstaa og at udgranske og at søge Visdom og Fornuftighed og for at forstaa, at Ugudelighed er Daarskab, og at Daarskab er Vanvid.
I applied mine heart to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and the reason of things, and to know the wickedness of folly, even of foolishness and madness:
26 Og jeg fandt, hvad der var beskere end Døden: Den Kvinde, hvis Hjerte var Snarer og Garn, og hvis Hænder vare Baand; den, som er velbehagelig for Guds Ansigt, skal undkomme fra hende, men en Synder skal fanges ved hende.
And I find more bitter than death the woman, whose heart is snares and nets, and her hands as bands: whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her.
27 Se, dette har jeg fundet, sagde Prædikeren, det ene efter det andet, idet jeg vilde finde Fornuftighed,
Behold, this have I found, saith the preacher, counting one by one, to find out the account:
28 hvilken min Sjæl endnu søger, men jeg ikke har fundet; iblandt tusinde fandt jeg een Mand, men fandt ikke en Kvinde iblandt dem alle.
Which yet my soul seeketh, but I find not: one man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I not found.
29 Dog se, dette har jeg fundet, at Gud skabte Mennesket ret; men de søge mange Spidsfindigheder.
Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.
