Prædikeren 7
1 Godt Navn er bedre end ypperlig Salve, Dødsdag bedre end Fødselsdag;
A good name is better than precious ointments: and the day of death than the day of one’s birth.
2 bedre at gå til et Sørgehus end at gå til et Gildehus; thi hist er alle Menneskers Ende, og de levende bør tage det til Hjerte
It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to the house of feasting: for in that we are put in mind of the end of all, and the living thinketh what is to come.
3 Bedre Græmmelse end Latter, thi er Minerne mørke, har Hjertet det godt.
Anger is better than laughter: because by the sadness of the countenance the mind of the offender is corrected.
4 De vises Hjerte er i Sørgehuset. Tåbernes Hjerte i Glædeshuset.
The heart of the wise is where there is mourning, and the heart of fools where there is mirth.
5 Bedre at høre på Vismands Skænd end at høre på Tåbers Sang.
It is better to be rebuked by a wise man, than to be deceived by the flattery of fools.
6 Som Tjørnekvistes Knitren under Gryden er Tåbers Latter; også det er Tomhed.
For as the crackling of thorns burning under a pot, so is the laughter of a fool: now this also is vanity.
7 Thi uredelig Vinding gør Vismand til Dåre, og Stikpenge ødelægger Hjertet.
Oppression troubleth the wise, and shall destroy the strength of his heart.
8 En Sags Udgang er bedre end dens Indgang, Tålmod er bedre end Hovmod.
Better is the end of a speech than the beginning. Better is the patient man than the presumptuous.
9 Vær ikke hastig i dit Sind til at græmmes, thi Græmmelse bor i Tåbers Bryst.
Be not quickly angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of a fool.
10 Spørg ikke: "Hvoraf kommer det, at de gamle Dage var bedre end vore?" Thi således spørger du ikke med Visdom.
Say not: What thinkest thou is the cause that former times were better than they are now? for this manner of question is foolish.
11 Bedre er Visdom end Arv, en Fordel for dem, som skuer Solen;
Wisdom with riches is more profitable, and bringeth more advantage to them that see the sun.
12 thi Visdom skygger, som Penge skygger, men Kundskabs Fortrin er dette, at Visdom holder sin Mand i Live.
For as wisdom is a defence, so money is a defence: but learning and wisdom excel in this, that they give life to him that possesseth them.
13 Se på Guds Værk! Hvo kan rette, hvad han har gjort kroget?
Consider the works of God, that no man can correct whom he hath despised.
14 Vær ved godt Mod på den gode Dag og indse på den onde Dag, at Gud skabte denne såvel som hin, for at Mennesket ikke skal finde noget efter sig.
In the good day enjoy good things, and beware beforehand of the evil day: for God hath made both the one and the other, that man may not find against him any just complaint.
15 Begge Dele så jeg i mine tomme Dage: Der er retfærdige, som omkommer i deres Retfærdighed, og der er gudløse, som lever længe i deres Ondskab.
These things also I saw in the days of my vanity: A just man perisheth in his justice, and a wicked man liveth a long time in his wickedness.
16 Vær ikke alt for retfærdig og te dig ikke overvættes viis; hvorfor vil du ødelægge dig selv?
Be not over just: and be not more wise than is necessary, lest thou become stupid.
17 Vær ikke alt for gudløs og vær ingen Dåre; hvorfor vil du dø i Utide?
Be not overmuch wicked: and be not foolish, lest thou die before thy time.
18 Det bedste er, at du fastholder det ene og ikke slipper det andet; thi den, der frygter Gud, vil undgå begge Farer.
It is good that thou shouldst hold up the just, yea and from him withdraw not thy hand: for he that feareth God, neglecteth nothing.
19 Visdom gør Vismand stærkere end ti Magthavere i Byen.
Wisdom hath strengthened the wise more than ten princes of the city.
20 Thi intet Menneske er så retfærdigt på Jorden, at han kun gør gode Gerninger og aldrig synder.
For there is no just man upon earth, that doth good, and sinneth not.
21 Giv ikke Agt på alle de Ord, Folk siger, at du ikke skal høre din Træl forbande dig;
But do not apply thy heart to all words that are spoken: lest perhaps thou hear thy servant reviling thee.
22 thi du ved med dig selv, at også du mange Gange har forbandet andre.
For thy conscience knoweth that thou also hast often spoken evil of others.
23 Alt dette ransagede jeg med Visdom; jeg tænkte: "Jeg vil vorde viis." Men Visdom holdt sig langt fra mig;
I have tried all things in wisdom. I have said: I will be wise: and it departed farther from me,
24 Tingenes Grund er langt borte, så dyb, så dyb; hvem kan finde den?
Much more than it was: it is a great depth, who shall find it out?
25 Jeg tog mig for at vende min Hu til Kundskab og Granskning og til at søge efter Visdom og sikker Viden og til at kende, at Gudløshed er Tåbelighed, Dårskab Vanvid.
I have surveyed all things with my mind, to know, and consider, and seek out wisdom and reason: and to know the wickedness of the fool, and the error of the imprudent:
26 Og beskere end Døden fandt jeg Kvinden, thi hun er et Fangegarn; hendes Hjerfe er et Net og hendes Arme Lænker. Den, som er Gud kær, undslipper hende, men Synderen bliver hendes Fange.
And I have found a woman more bitter than death, who is the hunter’s snare, and her heart is a net, and her hands are bands. He that pleaseth God shall escape from her: but he that is a sinner, shall be caught by her.
27 Se, det fandt jeg ud, sagde Prædikeren, ved at lægge det ene til det andet for at drage min Slutning.
Lo this have I found, said Ecclesiastes, weighing one thing after another, that I might find out the account,
28 Hvad min Sjæl stadig søgte, men ikke fandt, er dette: Een Mand fandt jeg blandt tusind, men en Kvinde fandt jeg ikke i hele Flokken.
Which yet my soul seeketh, and I have not found it. One man among a thousand I have found, a woman among them all I have not found.
29 Dog se, det fandt jeg, at Gud har skabt Menneskene, som de bør være; men de har så mange sære Ting for.
Only this I have found, that God made man right, and he hath entangled himself with an infinity of questions. Who is as the wise man? and who hath known the resolution of the word?
