Prædikeren 6
1 Der er et Onde, jeg saa under Solen, og som tynger Menneskene haardt:
There is also another evil, which I have seen under the sun, and that frequent among men:
2 Naar Gud giver en Mand Rigdom og Gods og Ære, saa han intet savner af, hvad han ønsker, og Gud ikke sætter ham i Stand til at nyde det, men en fremmed nyder det, da er dette Tomhed og en slem Lidelse.
A man to whom God hath given riches, and substance, and honour, and his soul wanteth nothing of all that he desireth: yet God doth not give him power to eat thereof, but a stranger shall eat it up. This is vanity and a great misery.
3 Om en Mand avler hundrede Børn og lever mange Aar, saa hans Levetid bliver lang, men hans Sjæl ikke mættes af Goder, saa siger jeg dog, at et utidigt Foster er bedre faren end han;
If a man beget a hundred children, and live many years, and attain to a great age, and his soul make no use of the goods of his substance, and he be without burial: of this man I pronounce, that the untimely born is better than he.
4 thi at det kommer, er Tomhed, og det gaar bort i Mørke, og i Mørke dølges dets Navn;
For he came in vain, and goeth to darkness, and his name shall be wholly forgotten.
5 og det har hverken set eller kendt Sol; det faar end ikke en Grav; det hviler bedre end han.
He hath not seen the sun, nor known the distance of good and evil:
6 Om han saa levede to Gange tusind Aar, men ikke skuede Lykke — mon ikke alle farer sammesteds hen?
Although he lived two thousand years, and hath not enjoyed good things: do not all make haste to one place?
7 Al Menneskets Flid tjener hans Mund, og dog stilles hans Sult aldrig.
All the labour of man is for his mouth, but his soul shall not be filled.
8 Thi hvad har den vise forud for Taaben, hvad baader det den arme, der ved at vandre for de levendes Øjne?
What hath the wise man more than the fool? and what the poor man, but to go thither, where there is life?
9 Bedre at se med sine Øjne end higende Attraa. Ogsaa det er Tomhed og Jag efter Vind.
Better it is to see what thou mayst desire, than to desire that which thou canst not know. But this also is vanity, and presumption of spirit.
10 Hvad der bliver til er for længst nævnet ved Navn, og det vides i Forvejen, hvad et Menneske bliver til; det kan ikke gaa i Rette med ham, der er den stærkeste.
He that shall be, his name is already called: and it is known, that he is man, and cannot contend in judgment with him that is stronger than himself.
11 Thi jo flere Ord der bruges, des større bliver Tomheden, og hvad gavner de Mennesket?
There are many words that have much vanity in disputing.
12 Thi hvo ved, hvad der baader et Menneske i Livet, det Tal af tomme Levedage han henlever som en Skygge? Thi hvo kan sige et Menneske, hvad der skal ske under Solen efter hans Død?
What needeth a man to seek things that are above him, whereas he knoweth not what is profitable for him in his life, in all the days of his pilgrimage, and the time that passeth like a shadow? Or who can tell him what shall be after him under the sun?
