Prædikeren 9
1 Thi alt dette har jeg lagt mig paa Hjerte, og det for at udgrunde det alt sammen, at de retfærdige og de vise og deres Gerninger ere i Guds Haand; om det er Kærlighed eller Had, ved intet Menneske; alt ligger for deres Ansigt.
All this I took to heart, and my heart saw it all: that the upright and the wise and their works are in the hand of God; and men may not be certain if it will be love or hate; all is to no purpose before them.
2 Alt er ens for alle; det samme hændes den retfærdige og den ugudelige, den gode og den rene og den urene, og den, som ofrer, og den, der ikke ofrer; som den gode, saa gaar det Synderen, den, som sværger, gaar det som den, der frygter for Ed.
Because to all there is one event, to the upright man and to the evil, to the clean and to the unclean, to him who makes an offering and to him who makes no offering; as is the good so is the sinner; he who takes an oath is as he who has fear of it.
3 Ondt iblandt alt det, som sker under Solen, er dette: At det samme hændes alle; og tillige er Menneskens Børns Hjerte fuldt af Ondskab, og der er Daarskaber i deres Hjerte, saa længe de leve, og derefter fare de til de døde.
This is evil in all things which are done under the sun: that there is one fate for all, and the hearts of the sons of men are full of evil; while they have life their hearts are foolish, and after that — to the dead.
4 Thi hvo er den, som kan undtages? om alle dem, som leve, er der Haab; thi en levende Hund er bedre end en Løve, som er død;
For him who is joined to all the living there is hope; a living dog is better than a dead lion.
5 thi de levende vide, at de skulle dø; men de døde vide ikke noget, og de have ingen Løn ydermere; men deres Ihukommelse er glemt.
The living are conscious that death will come to them, but the dead are not conscious of anything, and they no longer have a reward, because there is no memory of them.
6 Baade deres Kærlighed og deres Had og deres Avind er forlængst forsvunden, og de have i al Evighed ingen Del ydermere i alt det, som sker under Solen.
Their love and their hate and their envy are now ended; and they have no longer a part for ever in anything which is done under the sun.
7 Gak hen, æd dit Brød med Glæde og drik din Vin med et godt Mod; thi Gud har forlængst Behag i dine Gerninger.
Come, take your bread with joy, and your wine with a glad heart. God has taken pleasure in your works.
8 Lad dine Klæder altid være hvide, og lad Olie ikke fattes paa dit Hoved!
Let your clothing be white at all times, and let not your head be without oil.
9 Nyd Livet med en Hustru, som du elsker, alle dine Forfængeligheds Levedage, som Gud har givet dig under Solen, alle dine Forfængeligheds Dage; thi det er din Del af Livet og af dit Arbejde, som du arbejder med under Solen.
Have joy with the woman of your love all the days of your foolish life which he gives you under the sun. Because that is your part in life and in your work which you do under the sun.
10 Alt hvad din Haand formaar at gøre med din Kraft, gør det; thi der er hverken Gerning eller Tanke eller Kundskab eller Visdom i Dødsriget, hvor du farer hen. (Sheol h7585)
Whatever comes to your hand to do with all your power, do it because there is no work, or thought, or knowledge, or wisdom in the place of the dead to which you are going. (Sheol h7585)
11 Jeg vendte tilbage og saa under Solen, at Løbet ikke er i de lettes Magt, og Krigen ikke i de vældiges, og ej heller Brødet i de vises, og ej heller Rigdommen i de forstandiges, og ej heller Gunst i de kløgtiges; thi Tid og Hændelse ramme dem alle.
And again I saw under the sun that the reward goes not to him who is quick, or the fruits of war to the strong; and there is no bread for the wise, or wealth for men of learning, or respect for those who have knowledge; but time and chance come to all.
12 Thi Mennesket ved heller ikke sin Tid, saa lidt som Fiskene, der fanges i det slemme Garn, og saa lidt som Fuglene, der fanges i Snaren; som disse, saa blive Menneskens Børn besnærede til Ulykkens Tid, eftersom den falder hastelig over dem.
Even man has no knowledge of his time; like fishes taken in an evil net, or like birds taken by deceit, are the sons of men taken in an evil time when it comes suddenly on them.
13 Ogsaa dette saa jeg som Visdom under Solen, og den syntes mig stor:
This again I have seen under the sun as wisdom and it seemed great to me.
14 Der var en liden Stad og faa Folk i den; og der kom en mægtig Konge imod den og omringede den og byggede store Belejringsværker om den;
There was a little town and the number of its men was small, and there came a great king against it and made an attack on it, building works of war round about it.
15 og han fandt derudi en fattig, viis Mand, og denne reddede Staden ved sin Visdom; men intet Menneske kom denne fattige Mand i Hu.
Now there was in the town a poor, wise man, and he, by his wisdom, kept the town safe. But no one had any memory of that same poor man.
16 Da sagde jeg: Visdom er bedre end Styrke; men den fattiges Visdom er foragtet, og hans Ord blive ikke hørte.
Then I said, Wisdom is better than strength, but the poor man's wisdom is not respected, and his words are not given a hearing.
17 De vises Ord, hørte i Ro, ere bedre end Herskerens Skrig iblandt Daarer.
The words of the wise which come quietly to the ear are noted more than the cry of a ruler among the foolish.
18 Bedre er Visdom end Stridsvaaben; og een Synder kan fordærve meget godt.
Wisdom is better than instruments of war, but one sinner is the destruction of much good.
