Prædikeren 3
1 Alt har sin Stund og hver en Ting under Himmelen sin Tid:
For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven:
2 Tid til at fødes og Tid til at dø, Tid til at plante og Tid til at rydde,
a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
3 Tid til at dræbe og Tid til at læge, Tid til at nedrive og Tid til at opbygge,
a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
4 Tid til at græde og Tid til at le, Tid til at sørge og Tid til at danse,
a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
5 Tid til at kaste Sten, og Tid til at sanke Sten, Tid til at favne og Tid til ikke at favne,
a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
6 Tid til at søge og Tid til at miste, Tid til at gemme og Tid til at bortkaste,
a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
7 Tid til at flænge og Tid til at sy, Tid til at tie og Tid til at tale,
a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
8 Tid til at elske og Tid til at hade, Tid til Krig og Tid til Fred.
a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.
9 Hvad Løn for sin Flid har da den, der arbejder?
What profit has he who works in that in which he labours?
10 Jeg saa det Slid, som Gud har givet Menneskens Børn at slide med.
I have seen the burden which God has given to the sons of men to be afflicted with.
11 Alt har han skabt smukt til rette Tid; ogsaa Evigheden har han lagt i deres Hjerte, dog saaledes at Menneskene hverken fatter det første eller det sidste af, hvad Gud har virket.
He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in their hearts, yet so that man can’t find out the work that God has done from the beginning even to the end.
12 Jeg skønnede, at der ikke gives noget andet Gode for dem end at glæde sig og have det godt, saa længe de lever.
I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice, and to do good as long as they live.
13 Dog ogsaa det at spise og drikke og nyde det gode under al sin Flid er for hvert Menneske en Guds Gave.
Also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy good in all his labour, is the gift of God.
14 Jeg skønnede, at alt, hvad Gud virker, bliver evindelig, uden at noget kan føjes til eller tages fra; og saaledes har Gud gjort det, for at man skal frygte for hans Aasyn.
I know that whatever God does, it shall be forever. Nothing can be added to it, nor anything taken from it; and God has done it, that men should fear before him.
15 Hvad der sker, var allerede, og hvad der skal ske, har allerede været; Gud leder det svundne op.
That which is has been long ago, and that which is to be has been long ago. God seeks again that which is passed away.
16 Fremdeles saa jeg under Solen, at Gudløshed var paa Rettens Sted og Gudløshed paa Retfærds Sted.
Moreover I saw under the sun, in the place of justice, that wickedness was there; and in the place of righteousness, that wickedness was there.
17 Jeg sagde ved mig selv: »Den retfærdige og den gudløse dømmer Gud; thi for hver en Ting og hver en Idræt har han fastsat en Tid.«
I said in my heart, “God will judge the righteous and the wicked; for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.”
18 Jeg sagde ved mig selv: »Det er for Menneskenes Skyld, for at Gud kan prøve dem, og for at de selv kan se, at de er Dyr.«
I said in my heart, “As for the sons of men, God tests them, so that they may see that they themselves are like animals.
19 Thi Menneskers og Dyrs Skæbne er ens; som den ene dør, dør den anden, og en og samme Aand har de alle; Mennesket har intet forud for Dyrene, thi alt er Tomhed.
For that which happens to the sons of men happens to animals. Even one thing happens to them. As the one dies, so the other dies. Yes, they have all one breath; and man has no advantage over the animals, for all is vanity.
20 Alle gaar sammesteds hen, alle blev til af Muld, og alle vender tilbage til Mulden.
All go to one place. All are from the dust, and all turn to dust again.
21 Hvo ved, om Menneskenes Aand stiger opad, og om Dyrenes Aand farer nedad til Jorden?
Who knows the spirit of man, whether it goes upward, and the spirit of the animal, whether it goes downward to the earth?”
22 Saaledes indsaa jeg, at intet er bedre for Mennesket end at glæde sig ved sin Gerning, thi det er hans Del; thi hvo kan bringe ham saa vidt, at han kan se, hvad der kommer efter hans Død?
Therefore I saw that there is nothing better than that a man should rejoice in his works, for that is his portion; for who can bring him to see what will be after him?
