Prædikeren 8
1 Hvo er som den vise, og hvo ved at tyde en Ting? Visdom faar et Menneskes Aasyn til at lyse, og Aasynets Haardhed mildnes.
The wisdom of a man shineth in his countenance, and the most mighty will change his face.
2 Hold en Konges Bud! Men drejer det sig om en Gudsed, saa forhast dig ikke.
I observe the mouth of the king, and the commandments of the oath of God.
3 Gaa bort fra hans Aasyn og bliv ikke staaende, naar Sagen staar slet; thi han kan gøre alt, hvad han vil.
Be not hasty to depart from his face, and do not continue in an evil work: for he will do all that pleaseth him:
4 Thi en Konges Ord er Magtsprog, og hvo kan sige til ham: »Hvad gør du?«
And his word is full of power: neither can any man say to him: Why dost thou so?
5 Den, som holder Budet, skal ikke mærke til noget ondt, og Dommens Tid skal den vises Hjerte kende.
He that keepeth the commandments shall find no evil. The heart of a wise man understandeth time and answer.
6 Thi enhver Ting har sin Tid og sin Dom, men det er et tyngende Onde for Mennesket,
There is a time and opportunity for every business, and great affliction for man:
7 at han ikke ved, hvad der vil ske; thi hvo kan sige ham hvorledes Fremtiden bliver?
Because he is ignorant of things past, and things to come he cannot know by any messenger.
8 Som intet Menneske er Herre over Vinden, saa han kan spærre den inde, er ingen Herre over Dødens Dag; Krig kan man ikke unddrage sig, og Gudløshed frier ikke sin Mand.
It is not in man’s power to stop the spirit, neither hath he power in the day of death, neither is he suffered to rest when war is at hand, neither shall wickedness save the wicked.
9 Alt dette saa jeg, idet jeg rettede min Tanke paa hver en Idræt, som øves under Solen: Der er Tider, da det ene Menneske hersker over det andet til hans Ulykke.
All these things I have considered, and applied my heart to all the works that are done under the sun. Sometimes one man ruleth over another to his own hurt.
10 Ligeledes saa jeg gudløse stedes til Hvile, medens de, som gjorde det rette, maatte gaa bort fra det hellige Sted og glemtes i Byen. Ogsaa det er Tomhed.
I saw the wicked buried: who also when they were yet living were in the holy place, and were praised in the city as men of just works: but this also is vanity.
11 Fordi den onde Gerning ikke i Hast rammes af Dommen faar Menneskenes Hjerte Mod til at gøre det onde,
For because sentence is not speedily pronounced against the evil, the children of men commit evils without any fear.
12 eftersom Synderen gør det onde fra første Færd og dog lever længe; men ogsaa ved jeg, at det skal gaa dem godt, som frygter Gud, fordi de frygter for hans Aasyn,
But though a sinner do evil a hundred times, and by patience be borne withal, I know from thence that it shall be well with them that fear God, who dread his face.
13 og at det ikke skal gaa de gudløse godt, og at deres Levetid ikke skal længes som Skyggen, fordi de ikke frygter for Guds Aasyn.
But let it not be well with the wicked, neither let his days be prolonged, but as a shadow let them pass away that fear not the face of the Lord.
14 Der er en Tomhed, som forekommer paa Jorden: at der findes retfærdige, hvem det gaar, som om de havde gjort de gudløses Gerninger, og gudløse, hvem det gaar som om de havde gjort de retfærdiges Gerninger. Jeg sagde: Ogsaa det er Tomhed.
There is also another vanity, which is done upon the earth. There are just men to whom evils happen, as though they had done the works of the wicked: and there are wicked men, who are as secure, as though they had the deeds of the just: but this also I judge most vain.
15 Og jeg priste Glæden, fordi Mennesket ikke har andet Gode under Solen end at spise og drikke og være glad, og at dette ledsager ham under hans Flid i de Levedage, Gud giver ham under Solen.
Therefore I commended mirth, because there was no good for a man under the sun, but to eat, and drink, and be merry, and that he should take nothing else with him of his labour in the days of his life, which God hath given him under the sun.
16 Hver Gang jeg vendte min Hu til at nemme Visdom og granske det Slid, som gaar for sig paa Jorden — thi hverken Dag eller Nat faar man Søvn i Øjnene —
And I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to understand the distraction that is upon earth: for there are some that day and night take no sleep with their eyes.
17 da indsaa jeg, at det er saaledes med alt Guds Værk, at Mennesket ikke kan udgrunde det, som sker under Solen; thi trods al den Flid, et Menneske gør sig med at søge, kan han ikke udgrunde det; og selv om den vise mener at kende det, kan han ikke udgrunde det.
And I understood that man can find no reason of all those works of God that are done under the sun: and the more he shall labour to seek, so much the less shall he find: yea, though the wise man shall say, that he knoweth it, he shall not be able to find it.
