Prædikeren 6
1 Der er et Onde, jeg saa under Solen, og som tynger Menneskene haardt:
There is an euill, which I sawe vnder the sunne, and it is much 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 giuen riches and treasures and honour, and he wanteth nothing for his soule of all that it desireth: but God giueth him not power to eate thereof, but a strange man shall eate it vp: this is vanitie, and this is an euill sicknesse.
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 an hundreth children and liue many yeeres, and the dayes of his yeeres be multiplied, and his soule be not satisfied with good things, and he be not buried, I say that an vntimely fruite is better then he.
4 thi at det kommer, er Tomhed, og det gaar bort i Mørke, og i Mørke dølges dets Navn;
For he commeth into vanitie and goeth into darkenesse: and his name shall be couered with darkenesse.
5 og det har hverken set eller kendt Sol; det faar end ikke en Grav; det hviler bedre end han.
Also he hath not seene ye sunne, nor knowen it: therefore this hath more rest then the other.
6 Om han saa levede to Gange tusind Aar, men ikke skuede Lykke — mon ikke alle farer sammesteds hen?
And if he had liued a thousand yeeres twise tolde, and had seene no good, shall not all goe 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: yet the soule is not filled.
8 Thi hvad har den vise forud for Taaben, hvad baader det den arme, der ved at vandre for de levendes Øjne?
For what hath the wise man more then the foole? what hath the poore that knoweth how to walke before the liuing?
9 Bedre at se med sine Øjne end higende Attraa. Ogsaa det er Tomhed og Jag efter Vind.
The sight of ye eye is better then to walke in ye lustes: this also is vanitie, and vexation 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.
What is that that hath bene? the name thereof is nowe named: and it is knowen that it is man: and he cannot striue with him that is stronger then he.
11 Thi jo flere Ord der bruges, des større bliver Tomheden, og hvad gavner de Mennesket?
Surely there be many things that increase vanitie: and what auaileth it man?
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?
For who knoweth what is good for man in the life and in the nomber of the dayes of the life of his vanitie, seeing he maketh them as a shadowe? For who can shewe vnto man what shall be after him vnder the sunne?
