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 mine heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth; therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also was vanity.
2 Om Latteren sagde jeg: »Daarskab!« og om Glæden: »Hvad gavner den?«
I said of laughter, It is mad: and of mirth, What doeth it?
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 searched in mine heart how to cheer my flesh with wine, mine heart yet guiding [me] with wisdom, and how to lay hold on folly, till I might see what it was good for the sons of men that they should do under the heaven all the days of their life.
4 Jeg fuldbyrdede store Værker, byggede mig Huse, plantede mig Vingaarde,
I made me great works; I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards;
5 anlagde mig Haver og Lunde og plantede alle Haande Frugttræer deri,
I made me gardens and parks, and I planted trees in them of all kinds of fruit:
6 anlagde mig Damme til at vande en Skov i Opvækst;
I made me pools of water, to water therefrom the forest where trees were reared:
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 bought menservants and maidens, and had servants born in my house; also I had great possessions of herds and flocks, above all that 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 gathered me also silver and gold, and the peculiar treasure of kings and of the provinces: I gat me men singers and women singers, and the delights of the sons of men, concubines very many.
9 Og jeg blev stor, større end nogen af dem, der før mig havde været i Jerusalem; desuden blev min Visdom hos mig.
So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained 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 whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them: I withheld not my heart from any joy, for my heart rejoiced because of all my labour; and this was my portion from all my labour.
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.
Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was no profit 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.
And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness and folly; for what [can] the man [do] that cometh after the king? [even] that which hath been already done.
13 Jeg saa, at Visdom har samme Fortrin for Taabelighed som Lys for Mørke:
Then I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light excelleth 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 wise man’s eyes are in his head, and the fool walketh in darkness: and yet I perceived that one event happeneth to them all.
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;
Then said I in my heart, As it happeneth to the fool, so will it happen even to me; and why was I then more wise? Then I said in my heart, that this also was vanity.
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 of the wise man, even as of the fool, there is no remembrance for ever; seeing that in the days to come all will have been already forgotten. And how doth the wise man die even as the fool!
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.
So I hated life; because the work that is wrought under the sun was grievous unto me: for all is vanity and a striving after wind.
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.
And I hated all my labour wherein I laboured under the sun: seeing that I must leave it unto the man that shall be 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.
And who knoweth whether he shall be a wise man or a fool? yet shall he have rule over all my labour wherein I have laboured, and wherein I have shewed wisdom under the sun. This also is vanity.
20 Og jeg var ved at fortvivle over al den Flid, jeg har gjort mig under Solen;
Therefore I turned about to cause my heart to despair concerning all the labour wherein I had laboured 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 there is a man whose labour is with wisdom, and with knowledge, and with skilfulness; yet to a man that hath not laboured therein shall he leave it for his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil.
22 Thi hvad faar et Menneske for al sin Flid og sit Hjertes Higen, som han gør sig Flid med under Solen?
For what hath a man of all his labour, and of the striving of his heart, wherein he laboureth 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.
For all his days are [but] sorrows, and his travail is grief; yea, even in the night his heart taketh no rest. This also is vanity.
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.
There is nothing better for a man [than] that he should eat and drink, and make his soul enjoy good in his labour. This also I saw, that it is from the hand of God.
25 Thi hvo kan spise eller drikke uden hans Vilje?
For who can eat, or who can have enjoyment, more than I?
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.
For to the man that pleaseth him [God] giveth wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he giveth travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him that pleaseth God. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.
