Prædikeren 11
1 Kast dit Brød paa Vandet, Thi du faar det igen, gaar end lang Tid hen.
Cast thy bread upon the face of the waters; for after many days wilt thou find it again.
2 Del dit Gods i syv otte Dele, thi du ved ej, hvad ondt der kan ske paa Jorden.
Give a portion to seven, and also to eight: for thou knowest not what evil may come upon the earth.—
3 Er Skyerne fulde af Regn, saa gyder de den ud over Jorden; og falder et Træ mod Syd eller Nord; saa bliver det liggende der, hvor det falder.
If the clouds be full of rain, they will empty it out upon the earth; and if the tree fall toward the south, or toward the north, on the place where the tree falleth, there will it remain.
4 Man faar aldrig saaet, naar man kigger efter Vinden, og aldrig høstet, naar man ser efter Skyerne.
He that watcheth the wind will not sow; and he that gazeth on the clouds will not reap.
5 Som du ikke kender Vindens Vej eller Fostret i Moders Liv, saa kender du ej heller Guds Virke, han, som virker alt.
As thou knowest not which is the way of the wind, as little as what is enclosed in the womb of her that is with child: even so thou canst not know the works of God who maketh all.
6 Saa din Sæd ved Gry og lad Haanden ej hvile ved Kvæld; thi du ved ej, om dette eller hint vil lykkes, eller begge Dele er lige gode.
In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening let not thy hand rest; for thou knowest not which will succeed, whether this or that, or whether both of them will be alike good.
7 Lyset er lifligt, at skue Solen er godt for Øjnene;
Truly the light is sweet, and it is a pleasant thing for the eyes to see the sun;
8 ja, lever et Menneske mange Aar, skal han glæde sig over dem alle og komme Mørkets Dage i Hu, thi af dem er der mange i Vente; alt, hvad der kommer, er Tomhed.
For if a man live [even] many years, let him rejoice in them all; and let him remember the days of darkness; for they will be many; all that cometh is vanity.
9 Glæd dig, Yngling, i din Ungdom, vær vel til Mode i Livets Vaar; gaa, hvor dit Hjerte lyster, og nyd, hvad dit Øje skuer; men vid, at for alle disse Ting skal du kræves til Regnskab af Gud.
Rejoice, O young man, in thy childhood; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youthful vigor, and walk firmly in the ways of thy heart, and in [the direction which] thy eyes see: but know thou, that concerning all these things God will bring thee into judgment.
10 Slaa Mismod ud af dit Sind, hold Sygdom fjernt fra din Krop; thi Ungdom og Livsgry er Tomhed!
And remove vexation from thy heart, and cause evil to pass away from thy body; for childhood and the time when the head is black are vanity.
