Prædikeren 11
1 Kast dit Brød paa Vandet, Thi du faar det igen, gaar end lang Tid hen.
Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days.
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 shall be 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 are full of rain, they empty [themselves] upon the earth: and if the tree falleth towards the south, or towards the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be.
4 Man faar aldrig saaet, naar man kigger efter Vinden, og aldrig høstet, naar man ser efter Skyerne.
He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall 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 what [is] the way of the spirit, [nor] the structure of the parts of conception in her that is with child: even so thou knowest not 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 withhold not thy hand: for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both [shall be] alike good.
7 Lyset er lifligt, at skue Solen er godt for Øjnene;
Truly the light [is] sweet, and a pleasant [thing it is] for the eyes to behold 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.
But if a man shall live many years, [and] rejoice in them all; yet let him remember the days of darkness; for they shall 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 youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thy heart, and in the sight of thy eyes: but know thou, that for 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!
Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh: for childhood and youth [are] vanity.
