Prædikeren 2
1 Jeg sagde ved mig selv: »Vel, jeg vil prøve med Glæde; saa nyd da det gode!« Men se, ogsaa det var Tomhed.
I said in my heart: “I will go forth and overflow with delights, and I will enjoy good things.” And I saw that this, too, is emptiness.
2 Om Latteren sagde jeg: »Daarskab!« og om Glæden: »Hvad gavner den?«
Laughter, I considered an error. And to rejoicing, I said: “Why are you being deceived, to no purpose?”
3 Jeg kom paa den Tanke at kvæge mit Legeme med Vin, medens mit Hjerte dog raadede med Visdom, og at slaa mig paa Daarskab, indtil jeg saa, hvad det baader Menneskens Børn at gøre under Himmelen, det Dagetal de lever.
I decided in my heart to withdraw my flesh from wine, so that I might bring my mind to wisdom, and turn away from foolishness, until I see what is useful for the sons of men, and what they ought to do under the sun, during the number of the days of their life.
4 Jeg fuldbyrdede store Værker, byggede mig Huse, plantede mig Vingaarde,
I magnified my works. I built houses for myself, and I planted vineyards.
5 anlagde mig Haver og Lunde og plantede alle Haande Frugttræer deri,
I made gardens and orchards. And I planted them with trees of every kind.
6 anlagde mig Damme til at vande en Skov i Opvækst;
And I dug out fishponds of water, so that I might irrigate the forest of growing trees.
7 jeg købte Trælle og Trælkvinder, og jeg havde hjemmefødte Trælle; ogsaa Kvæg, Hornkvæg og Smaakvæg, havde jeg i større Maader end nogen af dem, der før mig havde været i Jerusalem;
I obtained men and women servants, and I had a great family, as well as herds of cattle and great flocks of sheep, beyond all who were before me in Jerusalem.
8 jeg samlede mig ogsaa Sølv og Guld, Skatte fra Konger og Lande; jeg tog mig Sangere og Sangerinder og Menneskens Børns Lyst: Hustru og Hustruer.
I amassed for myself silver and gold, and the wealth of kings and governors. I chose men and women singers, and the delights of the sons of men, bowls and pitchers for the purpose of pouring wine.
9 Og jeg blev stor, større end nogen af dem, der før mig havde været i Jerusalem; desuden blev min Visdom hos mig.
And I surpassed in opulence all who were before me in Jerusalem. My wisdom also persevered with me.
10 Intet, som mine Øjne attraaede, unddrog jeg dem; jeg nægtede ikke mit Hjerte nogen Glæde thi mit Hjerte havde Glæde af al min Flid, og deri laa Lønnen for al min Flid.
And all that my eyes desired, I did not refuse them. Neither did I prohibit my heart from enjoying every pleasure, and from amusing itself in the things that I had prepared. And I regarded this as my share, as if I were making use of my own labors.
11 Men da jeg overskuede alt, hvad mine Hænder havde virket, og den Flid, det havde kostet mig, se, da var det alt sammen Tomhed og Jag efter Vind, og der er ingen Vinding under Solen.
But when I turned myself toward all the works that my hands had made, and to the labors in which I had perspired to no purpose, I saw emptiness and affliction of the soul in all things, and that nothing is permanent under the sun.
12 Thi hvad gør det Menneske, som kommer efter Kongen? Det samme, som tilforn er gjort? Jeg gav mig da til at sammenligne Visdom med Daarskab og Taabelighed.
I continued on, so as to contemplate wisdom, as well as error and foolishness. “What is man,” I said, “that he would be able to follow his Maker, the King?”
13 Jeg saa, at Visdom har samme Fortrin for Taabelighed som Lys for Mørke:
And I saw that wisdom surpasses foolishness, so much so that they differ as much as light from darkness.
14 Den vise har Øjne i Hovedet, men Taaben vandrer i Mørke. Men jeg skønnede ogsaa, at en og samme Skæbne rammer begge.
The eyes of a wise man are in his head. A foolish man walks in darkness. Yet I learned that one would pass away like the other.
15 Da sagde jeg ved mig selv: »Taabens Skæbne rammer ogsaa mig; hvad har jeg da for, at jeg er blevet overvættes viis?« Og jeg sagde ved mig selv, at ogsaa det er Tomhed;
And I said in my heart: “If the death of both the foolish and myself will be one, how does it benefit me, if I have given myself more thoroughly to the work of wisdom?” And as I was speaking within my own mind, I perceived that this, too, is emptiness.
16 thi den vises Minde er lige saa lidt evigt som Taabens, fordi nu engang alt glemmes i kommende Dage; ak! den vise maa dø saa godt som Taaben.
For there will not be a remembrance in perpetuity of the wise, nor of the foolish. And the future times will cover everything together, with oblivion. The learned die in a manner similar to the unlearned.
17 Da blev jeg led ved Livet, thi ilde tyktes mig det, som sker under Solen; thi det er alt sammen Tomhed og Jag efter Vind.
And, because of this, my life wearied me, since I saw that everything under the sun is evil, and everything is empty and an affliction of the spirit.
18 Og jeg blev led ved al den Flid, jeg, har gjort mig under Solen, fordi jeg maa efterlade mit Værk til den, som kommer efter mig.
Again, I detested all my efforts, by which I had earnestly labored under the sun, to be taken up by an heir after me,
19 Hvo ved, om det bliver en Vismand eller en Taabe? Og dog skal han raade over alt, hvad jeg med Flid og Visdom vandt under Solen. Ogsaa det er Tomhed.
though I know not whether he will be wise or foolish. And yet he will have power over my labors, in which I have toiled and been anxious. And is there anything else so empty?
20 Og jeg var ved at fortvivle over al den Flid, jeg har gjort mig under Solen;
Therefore, I ceased, and my heart renounced further laboring under the sun.
21 thi der har et Menneske gjort sig. Flid med Visdom, Kundskab og Dygtighed, og saa maa han overlade sit Eje til et Menneske, som ikke har lagt Flid derpaa. Ogsaa det er Tomhed og et stort Onde.
For when someone labors in wisdom, and doctrine, and prudence, he leaves behind what he has obtained to one who is idle. So this, too, is emptiness and a great burden.
22 Thi hvad faar et Menneske for al sin Flid og sit Hjertes Higen, som han gør sig Flid med under Solen?
For how can a man benefit from all his labor and affliction of spirit, by which he has been tormented under the sun?
23 Alle hans Dage er jo Lidelse, og hans Slid er Græmmelse; end ikke om Natten finder hans Hjerte Hvile. Ogsaa det er Tomhed.
All his days have been filled with sorrows and hardships; neither does he rest his mind, even in the night. And is this not emptiness?
24 Intet er bedre for et Menneske end at spise og drikke og give sin Sjæl gode Dage ved sin Flid. Og det skønnede jeg, at ogsaa det kommer fra Guds Haand.
Is it not better to eat and drink, and to show his soul the good things of his labors? And this is from the hand of God.
25 Thi hvo kan spise eller drikke uden hans Vilje?
So who will feast and overflow with delights as much as I have?
26 Thi det Menneske, som er godt i hans Øjne, giver han Visdom, Kundskab og Glæde; men den, som synder, giver han Slid med at samle og ophobe for saa at give det til en, som er god i Guds Øjne. Ogsaa det er Tomhed og Jag efter Vind.
God has given, to the man who is good in his sight, wisdom, and knowledge, and rejoicing. But to the sinner, he has given affliction and needless worrying, so as to add, and to gather, and to deliver, to him who has pleased God. But this, too, is emptiness and a hollow worrying of the mind.
