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.
I have drawn all these things through my heart, so that I might carefully understand. There are just men as well as wise men, and their works are in the hand of God. And yet a man does not know so much as whether he is worthy of love or of hatred.
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.
But all things in the future remain uncertain, because all things happen equally to the just and to the impious, to the good and to the bad, to the pure and to the impure, to those who offer sacrifices and to those who despise sacrifices. As the good are, so also are sinners. As those who commit perjury are, so also are those who swear to the truth.
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 a very great burden among all things that are done under the sun: that the same things happen to everyone. And when the hearts of the sons of men are filled with malice and contempt in their lives, afterwards they shall be dragged down to hell. (questioned)
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;
There is no one who lives forever, or who even has confidence in this regard. 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.
For the living know that they themselves will die, yet truly the dead know nothing anymore, nor do they have any recompense. For the memory of them is forgotten.
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.
Likewise, love and hatred and envy have all perished together, nor have they any place in this age and in the work 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.
So then, go and eat your bread with rejoicing, and drink your wine with gladness. For your works are pleasing to God.
8 Lad dine Klæder altid være hvide, og lad Olie ikke fattes paa dit Hoved!
Let your garments be white at all times, and let not oil be absent from your head.
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.
Enjoy life with the wife whom you love, all the days of your uncertain life which have been given to you under the sun, during all the time of your vanity. For this is your portion in life and in your labor, with which you labor 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 your hand is able to do, do it earnestly. For neither work, nor reason, nor wisdom, nor knowledge will exist in death, toward which you are hurrying. (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.
I turned myself toward another thing, and I saw that under the sun, the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor wealth to the learned, nor grace to the skillful: but there is a time and an end for all these things.
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.
Man does not know his own end. But, just as fish are caught with a hook, and birds are captured with a snare, so are men seized in the evil time, when it will suddenly overwhelm them.
13 Ogsaa dette saa jeg som Visdom under Solen, og den syntes mig stor:
This wisdom, likewise, I have seen under the sun, and I have examined it intensely.
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 small city, with a few men in it. There came against it a great king, who surrounded it, and built fortifications all around it, and the blockade was completed.
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.
And there was found within it, a poor and wise man, and he freed the city through his wisdom, and nothing was recorded afterward of that poor man.
16 Da sagde jeg: Visdom er bedre end Styrke; men den fattiges Visdom er foragtet, og hans Ord blive ikke hørte.
And so, I declared that wisdom is better than strength. But how is it, then, that the wisdom of the poor man is treated with contempt, and his words are not heeded?
17 De vises Ord, hørte i Ro, ere bedre end Herskerens Skrig iblandt Daarer.
The words of the wise are heard in silence, more so than the outcry of a prince among the foolish.
18 Bedre er Visdom end Stridsvaaben; og een Synder kan fordærve meget godt.
Wisdom is better than weapons of war. And whoever offends in one thing, shall lose many good things.
