Prædikeren 6
1 Der er et Onde, jeg saa under Solen, og som tynger Menneskene haardt:
There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is common 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 has given riches, wealth, and honor, so that he wants nothing for his soul of all that he desires, yet God gives him not power to eat thereof, but a stranger eats it: this is vanity, and it is an evil disease.
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 hundred children, and live many years, so that the days of his years be many, and his soul be not filled with good, and also that he have no burial; I say, that an untimely birth 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 comes in with vanity, and departs in darkness, and his name shall be covered with darkness.
5 og det har hverken set eller kendt Sol; det faar end ikke en Grav; det hviler bedre end han.
Moreover he has not seen the sun, nor known any thing: this has more rest than the other.
6 Om han saa levede to Gange tusind Aar, men ikke skuede Lykke — mon ikke alle farer sammesteds hen?
Yes, though he live a thousand years twice told, yet has he seen no good: do not all go to one place?
7 Al Menneskets Flid tjener hans Mund, og dog stilles hans Sult aldrig.
All the labor of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite 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 has the wise more than the fool? what has the poor, that knows to walk before the living?
9 Bedre at se med sine Øjne end higende Attraa. Ogsaa det er Tomhed og Jag efter Vind.
Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire: this is also vanity 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.
That which has been is named already, and it is known that it is man: neither may he contend with him that is mightier than he.
11 Thi jo flere Ord der bruges, des større bliver Tomheden, og hvad gavner de Mennesket?
Seeing there be many things that increase vanity, what is man the better?
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 knows what is good for man in this life, all the days of his vain life which he spends as a shadow? for who can tell a man what shall be after him under the sun?
