Prædikeren 6
1 Der er et Onde, jeg så under Solen, og som tynger Menneskene hårdt:
There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is abundant with man:
2 Når Gud giver en Mand Rigdom og Gods og Ære, så 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 shall give wealth, and substance, and honour, and he wants nothing for his soul of all things that he shall desire, yet God shall not give him power to eat of it, for a stranger shall devour it: this is vanity, and an evil infirmity.
3 Om en Mand avler hundrede Børn og lever mange År, så hans Levetid bliver lang, men hans Sjæl ikke mættes af Goder, så siger jeg dog, at et utidigt Foster er bedre faren end han;
If a man beget a hundred [children], and live many years, yea, however abundant the days of his years shall be, yet [if] his soul shall not be satisfied with good, and also he have no burial; I said, An untimely birth is better than he.
4 thi at det kommer, er Tomhed, og det går bort i Mørke, og i Mørke dølges dets Navn;
For he came in vanity, and departs in darkness, and his name shall be covered in darkness.
5 og det har hverken set eller kendt Sol; det får end ikke en Grav; det hviler bedre end han.
Moreover he has not seen the sun, nor known rest: there is [no more rest] to this one than another.
6 Om han så levede to Gange tusind År, men ikke skuede Lykke - mon ikke alle farer sammesteds hen?
Though he has lived to the return of a thousand years, yet he has 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 labour of a man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite shall not be satisfied.
8 Thi hvad har den vise forud for Tåben, hvad båder det den arme, der ved at vandre for de levendes Øjne?
For [what] advantage has the wise man over the fool, since [even] the poor knows how to walk in the direction of life?
9 Bedre at se med sine Øjne end higende Attrå. Også det er Tomhed og Jag efter Vind.
The sight of the eyes is better than that which wanders in soul: this is also vanity, and waywardness 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 gå i Rette med ham, der er den stærkeste.
If anything has been, its name has already been called: and it is known what man is; neither can he contend with him who is stronger than he.
11 Thi jo flere Ord der bruges, des større bliver Tomheden, og hvad gavner de Mennesket?
For there are many things which increase vanity.
12 Thi hvo ved, hvad der båder 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?
What advantage has a man? for who knows [what is] good for a man in his life, [during] the number of the life of the days of his vanity? and he has spent them as a shadow; for who shall tell a man what shall be after him under the sun?
