Prædikeren 12
1 Tænk Paa din Skaber i Ungdommens Dage, førend de onde Dage kommer og Aarene nærmer sig, om hvilke du vil sige: »I dem har jeg ikke Behag!«
Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw near, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them;
2 før Sol og Lys og Maane og Stjerner hylles i Mørke og der atter kommer Skyer efter Regn,
While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, are not darkened, nor the clouds return after the rain:
3 Tiden, da Husets Vogtere bæver, de stærke Mænd bliver krumme, da Møllepigerne svigter, fordi de er faa, og de bliver mørke, som kigger ved Gluggerne,
In the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out of the windows shall be darkened,
4 da begge Gadedørene lukkes, mens Møllen gaar med dæmpet Lyd, da man staar op ved Spurvenes Kvidder og alle Sangens Døtre hvisker,
And the doors shall be shut in the streets, when the sound of the grinding shall be low, and he shall rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of music shall be brought low;
5 da man ogsaa ængstes for Bakker, og Rædsler lurer paa Vejen, da Mandeltræet blomstrer; Græshoppen slappes og Kapersbærret svigter, nu Mennesket gaar til sin evige Bolig og Sørgetoget gaar gennem Gaden,
Also when they shall be afraid of that which is high, and fears shall be in the way, and the almond tree shall flourish, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail: because man goeth to his long home, and the mourners go about the streets:
6 førend Sølvsnoren brister og Guldskaalen brydes itu, før Krukken slaas i Stykker ved Kilden og det søndrede Hjul falder ned i Brønden
Or ever the silver cord shall be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern.
7 og Støvet vender tilbage til Jorden som før og Aanden til Gud, som gav den.
Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return to God who gave it.
8 Endeløs Tomhed, sagde Prædikeren, alt er Tomhed.
Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher; all is vanity.
9 Endnu skal siges, at Prædikeren var viis; han gav ogsaa Folket Kundskab; han granskede og ransagede og formede mange Ordsprog.
And moreover, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yea, he gave good heed, and sought out, and set in order many proverbs.
10 Prædikeren søgte at finde Fyndord og optegnede sanddru Lære, Sandhedsord.
The preacher sought to find out acceptable words: and that which was written was upright, even words of truth.
11 Som Pigkæppe er de vises Ord, som inddrevne Søm, der sidder tæt; de er givet af en og samme Hyrde.
The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd.
12 Endnu skal siges: Min Søn, var dig! Der er ingen Ende paa, som der skrives Bøger, og megen Gransken trætter Legemet.
And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.
13 Enden paa Sagen, naar alt er hørt, er: Frygt Gud og hold hans Bud! Thi det bør hvert Menneske gøre.
Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
14 Thi hver en Gerning bringer Gud for Retten, naar han dømmer alt, hvad der er skjult, være sig godt eller ondt.
For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it is good, or whether it is evil.
