Prædikeren 2
1 Jeg sagde ved mig selv: "Vel, jeg vil prøve med Glæde; så nyd da det gode!" Men se, også det var Tomhed.
I said in my heart, “Come now, I will test you with happiness. So enjoy pleasure.” But look, this also was just a temporary breeze.
2 Om Latteren sagde jeg: "Dårskab!" og om Glæden: "Hvad gavner den?"
I said about laughter, “It is crazy,” and about pleasure, “What use is it?”
3 Jeg kom på den Tanke at kvæge mit Legeme med Vin, medens mit Hjerte dog rådede med Visdom, og at slå mig på Dårskab, indtil jeg så, hvad det båder Menneskens Børn at gøre under Himmelen, det Dagetal de lever.
I explored in my heart how to gratify my desires with wine. I let my mind guide me with wisdom although I was still holding on to folly. I wanted to find out what is good for people to do under heaven during the days of their lives.
4 Jeg fuldbyrdede store Værker, byggede mig Huse, plantede mig Vingårde,
I accomplished great things. I built houses for myself and planted vineyards.
5 anlagde mig Haver og Lunde og plantede alle Hånde Frugttræer deri,
I built for myself gardens and parks; I planted all kinds of fruit trees in them.
6 anlagde mig Damme til at vande en Skov i Opvækst;
I created pools of water to water a forest where trees were grown.
7 jeg købte Trælle og Trælkvinder, og jeg havde hjemmefødte Trælle; også Kvæg, Hornkvæg og Småkvæg, havde jeg i større Måder end nogen af dem, der før mig havde været i Jerusalem;
I purchased male slaves and female slaves; I had slaves born in my palace. I also had large herds and flocks of livestock, much more than any king who ruled before me in Jerusalem.
8 jeg samlede mig også Sølv og Guld, Skatte fra Konger og Lande; jeg tog mig Sangere og Sangerinder og Menneskens Børns Lyst: Hustru og Hustruer.
I also accumulated for myself silver and gold, the treasures of kings and provinces. I got male and female singers for myself—the delights of the children of humanity—and many concubines.
9 Og jeg blev stor, større end nogen af dem, der før mig havde været i Jerusalem; desuden blev min Visdom hos mig.
So I became greater and wealthier than all who were before me in Jerusalem, and my wisdom remained with me.
10 Intet, som mine Øjne attråede, unddrog jeg dem; jeg nægtede ikke mit Hjerte nogen Glæde thi mit Hjerte havde Glæde af al min Flid, og deri lå Lønnen for al min Flid.
Whatever my eyes desired, I did not withhold from them. I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure, because my heart rejoiced in all my labor and pleasure was my reward for all my work.
11 Men da jeg overskuede alt, hvad mine Hænder havde virket, og den Flid, det havde kostet mig, se, da var det alt sammen Tomhed og Jag efter Vind, og der er ingen Vinding under Solen.
Then I looked on all the deeds that my hands had accomplished, and on the work that I had done, but again, everything was vapor and an attempt to shepherd the wind. There was no profit under the sun in it.
12 Thi hvad gør det Menneske, som kommer efter Kongen? Det samme, som tilforn er gjort? Jeg gav mig da til at sammenligne Visdom med Dårskab og Tåbelighed.
Then I turned to consider wisdom, and also madness and folly. For what can the next king do who comes after the king, which has not already been done?
13 Jeg så, at Visdom har samme Fortrin for Tåbelighed som Lys for Mørke:
Then I began to understand that wisdom has advantages over folly, just as light is better than darkness.
14 Den vise har Øjne i Hovedet, men Tåben vandrer i Mørke. Men jeg skønnede også, at en og samme Skæbne rammer begge.
The wise man uses his eyes in his head to see where he is going, but the fool walks in darkness, although I know the same event happens to all of them.
15 Da sagde jeg ved mig selv: "Tåbens Skæbne rammer også mig; hvad har jeg da for, at jeg er blevet overvættes viis?" Og jeg sagde ved mig selv, at også det er Tomhed;
Then I said in my heart, “What happens to the fool, will also happen to me. So what difference does it make if I am very wise?” I concluded in my heart, “This too is only vapor.”
16 thi den vises Minde er lige sålidt evigt som Tåbens, fordi nu engang alt glemmes i kommende Dage; ak! den vise må dø så godt som Tåben.
For the wise man, like the fool, is not remembered for very long. In the days to come everything will have been long forgotten. The wise man dies just like the fool dies.
17 Da blev jeg led ved Livet, thi ilde tyktes mig det, som sker under Solen; thi det er alt sammen Tomhed og Jag efter Vind.
So I detested life because all the work done under the sun was evil to me. This was because everything is vapor and an attempt to shepherd the wind.
18 Og jeg blev led ved al den Flid, jeg, har gjort mig under Solen, fordi jeg må efterlade mit Værk til den, som kommer efter mig.
I hated all my accomplishments for which I had worked under the sun because I must leave them behind to the man who comes after me.
19 Hvo ved, om det bliver en Vismand eller en Tåbe? Og dog skal han råde over alt, hvad jeg med Flid og Visdom vandt under Solen. Også det er Tomhed.
For who knows whether he will be a wise man or a fool? Yet he will be master over everything under the sun that my work and wisdom have built. This also is vapor.
20 Og jeg var ved at fortvivle over al den Flid, jeg har gjort mig under Solen;
Therefore my heart began to despair over all the work under the sun that I did.
21 thi der har et Menneske gjort sig. Flid med Visdom, Kundskab og Dygtighed, og så må han overlade sit Eje til et Menneske, som ikke har lagt Flid derpå. Også det er Tomhed og et stort Onde.
For there might be someone who works with wisdom, with knowledge, and skill, but he will leave everything he has to a man who has not made any of it. This also is vapor and a great tragedy.
22 Thi hvad får et Menneske for al sin Flid og sit Hjertes Higen, som han gør sig Flid med under Solen?
For what profit does the person gain who works so hard and tries in his heart to complete his labors under the sun?
23 Alle hans Dage er jo Lidelse, og hans Slid er Græmmelse; end ikke om Natten finder hans Hjerte Hvile. Også det er Tomhed.
Every day his work is painful and stressful, so at night his soul does not find rest. This also is vapor.
24 Intet er bedre for et Menneske end at spise og drikke og give sin Sjæl gode Dage ved sin Flid. Og det skønnede jeg, at også det kommer fra Guds Hånd.
There is nothing better for anyone than to simply eat and drink and be satisfied with what is good in his work. I saw that this truth comes from God's hand.
25 Thi hvo kan spise eller drikke uden hans Vilje?
For who can eat or who can have any kind of pleasure apart from God?
26 Thi det Menneske, som er godt i hans Øjne, giver han Visdom, Kundskab og Glæde; men den, som synder, giver han Slid med at samle og ophobe for så at give det til en, som er god i Guds Øjne. Også det er Tomhed og Jag efter Vind.
For to anyone who pleases him, God gives wisdom and knowledge and joy. However, to the sinner he gives the work of gathering and storing up so that he may give it away to someone who pleases God. This also amounts to vapor and an attempt to shepherd the wind.
