Prædikeren 9
1 Ja, alt dette lagde jeg mig paa Sinde, og mit Hjerte indsaa det alt sammen: at de retfærdige og de vise og deres Gerninger er i Guds Haand. Hverken om Kærlighed eller Had kan Menneskene vide noget; alt, hvad der er dem for Øje, er Tomhed.
All these things have I considered in my heart, that I might carefully understand them: there are just men and wise men, and their works are in the hand of God: and yet man knoweth not whether he be worthy of love, or hatred:
2 Thi alle faar en og samme Skæbne, retfærdig og gudløs, god og ond, ren og uren, den, som ofrer, og den, som ikke ofrer; det gaar den gode som Synderen, den sværgende som den, der skyr at sværge.
But all things are kept uncertain for the time to come, because all things equally happen to the just and to the wicked, to the good and to the evil, to the clean and to the unclean, to him that offereth victims, and to him that despiseth sacrifices. As the good is, so also is the sinner: as the perjured, so he also that sweareth truth.
3 Det er det, der er Fejlen ved alt, hvad der sker under Solen, at alle faar en og samme Skæbne; derfor er ogsaa Menneskebørnenes Hjerte fuldt af ondt, og der er Daarskab i deres Hjerte Livet igennem, og til sidst maa de ned til de døde.
This is a very great evil among all things that are done under the sun, that the same things happen to all men: whereby also the hearts of the children of men are filled with evil, and with contempt while they live, and afterwards they shall be brought down to hell. (questioned)
4 Kun for den, der hører til de levendes Flok, er der Haab; thi levende Hund er bedre faren end død Løve.
There is no man that liveth always, or that hopeth for this: a living dog is better than a dead lion.
5 Thi de levende ved dog, at de skal dø, men de døde ved ingenting, og Løn har de ikke mere i Vente; thi Mindet om dem slettes ud.
For the living know that they shall die, but the dead know nothing more, neither have they a reward any more: for the memory of them is forgotten.
6 Baade deres Kærlighed og deres Had og deres Misundelse er for længst borte, og de faar ingen Sinde mere Lod og Del i noget af det, som sker under Solen.
Their love also, and their hatred, and their envy are all perished, neither have they any part in this world, and in the work that is done under the sun.
7 Saa spis da dit Brød med Glæde, drik vel til Mode din Vin; thi din Id har Gud for længst kendt god.
Go then, and eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with gladness: because thy works please God.
8 Dine Klæder være altid hvide, lad Olie ikke savnes paa dit Hoved!
At all times let thy garments be white, and let not oil depart from thy head.
9 Nyd Livet med den Kvinde, du elsker, alle dine tomme Levedage, som gives dig under Solen; thi det er din Lod og Del af Livet og af den Flid, du gør dig under Solen.
Live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest, all the days of thy unsteady life, which are given to thee under the sun, all the time of thy vanity: for this is thy portion in life, and in thy labour wherewith thou labourest under the sun.
10 Gør efter Evne alt, hvad din Haand finder Styrke til; thi der er hverken Virke eller Tanke eller Kundskab eller Visdom i Dødsriget, hvor du stævner hen. (Sheol h7585)
Whatsoever thy hand is able to do, do it earnestly: for neither work, nor reason, nor wisdom, nor knowledge shall be in hell, whither thou art hastening. (Sheol h7585)
11 Og atter saa jeg under Solen, at Hurtigløberen ikke er Herre over Løbet eller Heltene over Kampen, ej heller de vise over Brødet, ej heller de kløgtige over Rigdom, ej heller de kloge over Yndest, men alle er de bundet af Tid og Tilfælde.
I turned me to another thing, and I saw that under the sun, the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to the learned, nor favour to the skillful: but time and chance in all.
12 Thi et Menneske kender lige saa lidt sin Tid som Fisk, der fanges i det slemme Garn, eller Fugle, der hildes i Snaren; ligesom disse fanges Menneskens Børn i Ulykkens Stund, naar den brat falder over dem.
Man knoweth not his own end: but as fishes are taken with the hook, and as birds are caught with the snare, so men are taken in the evil time, when it shall suddenly come upon them.
13 Ogsaa dette Tilfælde af Visdom saa jeg under Solen, og det gjorde dybt Indtryk paa mig:
This wisdom also I have seen under the sun, and it seemed to me to be very great:
14 Der var en lille By med faa Indbyggere, og mod den kom en stor Konge; han omringede den og byggede høje Volde imod den;
A little city, and few men in it: there came against it a great king, and invested it, and built bulwarks round about it, and the siege was perfect.
15 men der fandtes i Byen en fattig Mand, som var viis, og han frelste den ved sin Visdom. Men ingen mindedes den fattige Mand.
Now there was found in it a man poor and wise, and he delivered the city by his wisdom, and no man afterward remembered that poor man.
16 Da sagde jeg: »Visdom er bedre end Styrke, men den fattiges Visdom agtes ringe, og hans Ord høres ikke.«
And I said that wisdom is better than strength: how then is the wisdom of the poor man slighted, and his words not heard?
17 Vismænds Ord, der høres i Ro, er bedre end en Herskers Raab iblandt Daarer.
The words of the wise are heard in silence, more than the cry of a prince among fools.
18 Visdom er bedre end Vaaben, men en eneste Synder kan ødelægge meget godt.
Better is wisdom, than weapons of war: and he that shall offend in one, shall lose many good things.
