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 also thy Creators in days of thy youth, While that the evil days come not, Nor the years have arrived, that thou sayest, '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 that the sun is not darkened, and the light, And the moon, and the stars, And the thick clouds returned 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 that keepers of the house tremble, And men of strength have bowed themselves, And grinders have ceased, because they have become few. And those looking out at the windows have become dim,
4 da begge Gadedørene lukkes, mens Møllen gaar med dæmpet Lyd, da man staar op ved Spurvenes Kvidder og alle Sangens Døtre hvisker,
And doors have been shut in the street. When the noise of the grinding is low, And [one] riseth at the voice of the bird, And all daughters of song are bowed down.
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 of that which is high they are afraid, And of the low places in the way, And the almond-tree is despised, And the grasshopper is become a burden, And want is increased, For man is going unto his home age-during, And the mourners have gone round through the street.
6 førend Sølvsnoren brister og Guldskaalen brydes itu, før Krukken slaas i Stykker ved Kilden og det søndrede Hjul falder ned i Brønden
While that the silver cord is not removed, And the golden bowl broken, And the pitcher broken by the fountain, And the wheel broken at the well.
7 og Støvet vender tilbage til Jorden som før og Aanden til Gud, som gav den.
And the dust returneth to the earth as it was, And the spirit returneth to God who gave it.
8 Endeløs Tomhed, sagde Prædikeren, alt er Tomhed.
Vanity of vanities, said the preacher, the whole [is] vanity.
9 Endnu skal siges, at Prædikeren var viis; han gav ogsaa Folket Kundskab; han granskede og ransagede og formede mange Ordsprog.
And further, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge, and gave ear, and sought out — he made right many similes.
10 Prædikeren søgte at finde Fyndord og optegnede sanddru Lære, Sandhedsord.
The preacher sought to find out pleasing words, and, written [by] the upright, words of truth.
11 Som Pigkæppe er de vises Ord, som inddrevne Søm, der sidder tæt; de er givet af en og samme Hyrde.
Words of the wise [are] as goads, and as fences planted [by] the masters of collections, they have been given by 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, from these, my son, be warned; the making of many books hath 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.
The end of the whole matter let us hear: — 'Fear God, and keep His commands, for this [is] the whole 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 every work doth God bring into judgment, with every hidden thing, whether good or bad.'
