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.
For I thought about all this in my mind to understand about the righteous and wise people and their deeds. They are all in God's hands. No one knows whether love or hate will come to someone.
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.
Everyone has the same fate. The same fate awaits righteous people and wicked, the good, the clean and the unclean, and the one who sacrifices and the one who does not sacrifice. As good people will die, so also will the sinner. As the one who swears will die, so also will the man who fears to make an oath.
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.
There is an evil fate for everything that is done under the sun, the same event happens to them all. The hearts of human beings are full of evil, and madness is in their hearts while they live. So after that they go to the dead.
4 Kun for den, der hører til de levendes Flok, er der Haab; thi levende Hund er bedre faren end død Løve.
For anyone who is united to all the living, there is hope, just as 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 living people know they will die, but the dead do not know anything. They no longer have any reward because their memory 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, hatred, and envy have vanished long ago. They will never have a place again in anything 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 your way, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a happy heart, for God approves of celebrating good works.
8 Dine Klæder være altid hvide, lad Olie ikke savnes paa dit Hoved!
Let your clothes be always white and your head anointed with oil.
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 happily with the wife whom you love all the days of your life of uselessness, the days that God has given you under the sun during your days of uselessness. That is your reward in life for your work 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)
Whatever your hand finds to do, work at it with your strength, because there is no work or explanation or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol, where you are going. (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 have seen some interesting things under the sun: The race does not belong to swift people. The battle does not belong to strong people. Bread does not belong to wise people. Riches do not belong to people of understanding. Favor does not belong to people of knowledge. Instead, time and chance affect them 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.
Surely, no one knows when his time will come. As fish are caught in a deadly net, or birds are caught in a snare, the children of human beings are ensnared by evil times that suddenly fall upon them.
13 Ogsaa dette Tilfælde af Visdom saa jeg under Solen, og det gjorde dybt Indtryk paa mig:
I have also seen wisdom under the sun in a way that seemed great to me.
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;
There was a small city with only a few men in it, and a great king came against it and besieged it and built great siege ramps against it.
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 in the city was found a poor, wise man, who by his wisdom saved the city. Yet later, no one remembered that same poor man.
16 Da sagde jeg: »Visdom er bedre end Styrke, men den fattiges Visdom agtes ringe, og hans Ord høres ikke.«
So I concluded, “Wisdom is better than strength, but the poor man's wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard.”
17 Vismænds Ord, der høres i Ro, er bedre end en Herskers Raab iblandt Daarer.
The words of wise people spoken quietly are heard better than the shouts of any ruler among fools.
18 Visdom er bedre end Vaaben, men en eneste Synder kan ødelægge meget godt.
Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner can ruin much good.
