Prædikeren 10
1 Døde Fluer gør Salveblanderens Olie stinkende, lidt Daarskab ødelægger Visdommens Værd.
Dead flies can make perfumed oil smell bad. Likewise a little foolishness outweighs great wisdom and honor.
2 Den vise har sin Forstand til højre, Taaben har sin til venstre,
The mind of the wise person chooses the right side, but the mind of the fool goes left!
3 Hvor Daaren end færdes, svigter hans Forstand, og han røber for alle, at han er en Daare.
Just the way that fools walk down the road shows they have no sense, making clear to everyone their stupidity.
4 Naar en Herskers Vrede rejser sig mod dig, forlad ikke derfor din Plads; thi Sagtmodighed hindrer store Synder.
If your superior gets angry with you, don't give up and leave. If you stay calm even bad mistakes can be resolved.
5 Der er et Onde, jeg saa under Solen; det ser ud som et Misgreb af ham, som har Magten:
I also realized there's another evil here on earth: rulers make a big mistake
6 Daarskab sættes i Højsædet, nederst sidder de rige.
when they put fools in high positions, while those who are richly qualified are put in low positions.
7 Trælle saa jeg højt til Hest og Høvdinger til Fods som Trælle.
I've seen slaves riding on horseback, while princes walk on the ground like slaves.
8 Den, som graver en Grav, falder selv deri; den, som nedbryder en Mur, ham bider en Slange;
If you dig a pit, you could fall in. If you knock down a wall, you could be bitten by a snake.
9 den, som bryder Sten, kan saare sig paa dem; den, som kløver Træ, er i Fare.
If you quarry stone, you could be injured. If you split logs, you could be hurt.
10 Naar Øksen er sløv og dens Æg ej hvæsses, maa Kraft lægges i; men den dygtiges Fortrin er Visdom.
If your ax is blunt and you don't sharpen it, you have to use a lot more force. Conclusion: being wise brings good results.
11 Bider en Slange, før den besværges, har Besværgeren ingen Gavn af sin Kunst.
If the snake bites the snake charmer before it's charmed, there's no benefit to the snake charmer!
12 Ord fra Vismands Mund vinder Yndest, en Daares Læber bringer ham Vaade;
Wise words are beneficial, but fools destroy themselves by what they say.
13 hans Tale begynder med Daarskab og ender med den værste Galskab.
Fools begin by saying foolish things, and end up talking evil nonsense.
14 Taaben bruger mange Ord. Ej ved Mennesket, hvad der skal ske; hvad der efter hans Død skal ske, hvo siger ham det?
Fools talk on and on, however no one knows what's going to happen, so who can say what the future holds?
15 Daarens Flid gør ham træt, thi end ikke til Bys ved han Vej.
Work makes fools so worn out they can't achieve anything.
16 Ve dig, du Land, hvis Konge er en Dreng og hvis Fyrster holder Gilde ved Gry.
You're in trouble if the king of your country is young, and if your leaders are busy feasting from early morning.
17 Held dig; du Land, hvis Konge er ædelbaaren, hvis Fyrster holder Gilde til sømmelig Tid som Mænd og ikke som Drankere.
You're fortunate if your king comes from a noble family, and your leaders feast at the proper time to give themselves energy, and not to get drunk.
18 Ved Ladhed synker Bjælkelaget; naar Hænderne slappes, drypper det i Huset.
Lazy people let their roofs collapse; idle people don't repair their leaky houses.
19 Til Morskab holder man Gæstebud, og Vin gør de levende glade; men Penge skaffer alt til Veje.
A good meal brings pleasure; wine makes life pleasant; money provides for all needs.
20 End ikke i din Tanke maa du bande en Konge, end ikke i dit Sovekammer en, som er rig; thi Himlens Fugle kan udsprede Ordet, de vingede røbe, hvad du siger.
Don't talk badly about the king, not even in your thoughts. Don't talk badly about leaders, even in the privacy of your bedroom. A bird may hear what you say and fly away to tell them.
