Prædikeren 4
1 Fremdeles saa jeg al den Undertrykkelse, som sker under Solen; jeg saa de undertryktes Taarer og ingen trøstede dem; de led Vold af deres Undertrykkeres Haand, og ingen trøstede dem.
And again I saw all the cruel things which are done under the sun; there was the weeping of those who have evil done to them, and they had no comforter: and from the hands of the evil-doers there went out power, but they had no comforter.
2 Da priste jeg de døde, som allerede er døde, lykkeligere end de levende, som endnu er i Live;
So my praise was for the dead who have gone to their death, more than for the living who still have life.
3 men lykkeligere end begge den, som slet ikke er til, som ikke har set det onde, der sker under Solen.
Yes, happier than the dead or the living seemed he who has not ever been, who has not seen the evil which is done under the sun.
4 Og jeg saa, at al Flid og alt dygtigt Arbejde udspringer af den enes Misundelse mod den anden. Ogsaa det er Tomhed og Jag efter Vind.
And I saw that the cause of all the work and of everything which is done well was man's envy of his neighbour. This again is to no purpose and a desire for wind.
5 Daaren lægger Hænderne i Skødet og æder sig selv op.
The foolish man, folding his hands, takes the flesh of his body for food.
6 Bedre en Haandfuld Hvile end Hænderne fulde af Flid og Jag efter Vind.
One hand full of rest is better than two hands full of trouble and desire for wind.
7 Og mere Tomhed saa jeg under Solen.
Then I came back, and I saw an example of what is to no purpose under the sun.
8 Mangen staar alene og har ikke nogen ved sin Side, hverken Søn eller Broder, og dog er der ingen Ende paa al hans Flid og hans Øje bliver ikke mæt af Rigdom. Men, for hvis Skyld gør jeg mig Flid og nægter mig enhver Nydelse? Ogsaa det, er Tomhed og ondt Slid.
It is one who is by himself, without a second, and without son or brother; but there is no end to all his work, and he has never enough of wealth. For whom, then, am I working and keeping myself from pleasure? This again is to no purpose, and a bitter work.
9 To er bedre faren end een, thi de faar god Løn for deres Flid;
Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their work.
10 hvis den ene falder, kan den anden rejse sin Fælle op. Men ve den ensomme! Thi falder han, er der ingen til at rejse ham op.
And if one has a fall, the other will give him a hand; but unhappy is the man who is by himself, because he has no helper.
11 Og naar to ligger sammen, bliver de varme; men hvorledes kan den ensomme blive varm?
So again, if two are sleeping together they are warm, but how may one be warm by himself?
12 Og naar nogen kan overvælde den ensomme, saa kan to staa sig imod ham; tretvundet Snor brister ikke i Hast.
And two attacked by one would be safe, and three cords twisted together are not quickly broken.
13 Bedre faren er en fattig Yngling, som er viis, end en gammel Konge, som er en Taabe og ikke mere har Forstand til at lade sig raade.
A young man who is poor and wise is better than a king who is old and foolish and will not be guided by the wisdom of others.
14 Thi hin gik ud af Fængselet for at blive Konge, skønt han var født i Fattigdom under den andens Regering.
Because out of a prison the young man comes to be king, though by birth he was only a poor man in the kingdom.
15 Jeg saa alle, som levede og færdedes under Solen, stille sig ved den Ynglings Side, som skulde træde i Kongens Sted;
I saw all the living under the sun round the young man who was to be ruler in place of the king.
16 der var ikke Tal paa alle de Mennesker, han stod i Spidsen for; men heller ikke over ham glæder de senere Slægter sig; nej, ogsaa det er Tomhed og Jag efter Vind.
There was no end of all the people, of all those whose head he was, but they who come later will have no delight in him. This again is to no purpose and desire for wind.
