Prædikeren 8
1 Hvo er som den vise, og hvo ved at tyde en Ting? Visdom får et Menneskes Åsyn til at lyse, og Åsynets Hårdhed mildnes.
The wisdom of a man shines in his countenance, and even the expression of a most powerful man will change.
2 Hold en Konges Bud! Men drejer det sig om en Gudsed, så forhast dig ikke.
I heed the mouth of the king, and the commandment of an oath to God.
3 Gå bort fra hans Åsyn og bliv ikke stående, når Sagen står slet; thi han kan gøre alt, hvad han vil.
You should not hastily withdraw from his presence, nor should you remain in an evil work. For all that pleases him, he will do.
4 Thi en Konges Ord er Magtsprog, og hvo kan sige til ham: "Hvad gør du?"
And his word is filled with authority. Neither is anyone able to say to him: “Why are you acting this way?”
5 Den, som holder Budet, skal ikke mærke til noget ondt, og Dommens Tid skal den vises Hjerte kende.
Whoever keeps the commandment will not experience evil. The heart of a wise man understands the time to respond.
6 Thi enhver Ting har sin Tid og sin Dom, men det er et tyngende Onde for Mennesket,
For every matter, there is a time and an opportunity, as well as many difficulties, for man.
7 at han ikke ved, hvad der vil ske; thi hvo kan sige ham hvorledes Fremtiden bliver?
For he is ignorant of the past, and he is able to know nothing of the future by means of a messenger.
8 Som intet Menneske er Herre over Vinden, så han kan spærre den inde, er ingen Herre over Dødens Dag; Krig kan man ikke unddrage sig, og Gudløshed frier ikke sin Mand.
It is not in the power of a man to prohibit the spirit, nor does he have authority over the day of death, nor is he permitted to rest when war breaks out, and neither will impiety save the impious.
9 Alt dette så jeg, idet jeg rettede min Tanke på hver en Idræt, som øves under Solen: Der er Tider, da det ene Menneske hersker over det andet til hans Ulykke.
I have considered all these things, and I have applied my heart to all the works which are being done under the sun. Sometimes one man rules over another to his own harm.
10 Ligeledes så jeg gudløse stedes til Hvile, medens de, som gjorde det rette, måtte gå bort fra det hellige Sted og glemtes i Byen. Også det er Tomhed.
I have seen the impious buried. These same, while they were still living, were in the holy place, and they were praised in the city as workers of justice. But this, too, is emptiness.
11 Fordi den onde Gerning ikke i Hast rammes af Dommen får Menneskenes Hjerte Mod til at gøre det onde,
For the sons of men perpetrate evils without any fear, because judgment is not pronounced quickly against the evil.
12 eftersom Synderen gør det onde fra første Færd og dog lever længe; men også ved jeg, at det skal gå dem godt, som frygter Gud, fordi de frygter for hans Åsyn,
But although a sinner may do evil of himself one hundred times, and by patience still endure, I realize that it will be well with those who fear God, who revere his face.
13 og at det ikke skal gå de gudløse godt, og at deres Levetid ikke skal længes som Skyggen, fordi de ikke frygter for Guds Åsyn.
So, may it not go well with the impious, and may his days not be prolonged. And let those who do not fear the face of the Lord pass away like a shadow.
14 Der er en Tomhed, som forekommer på Jorden: at der findes retfærdige, hvem det går, som om de havde gjort de gudløses Gerninger, og gudløse, hvem det går som om de havde gjort de retfærdiges Gerninger. Jeg sagde: Også det er Tomhed.
There is also another vanity, which is done upon the earth. There are the just, to whom evils happen, as though they had done the works of the impious. And there are the impious, who are very secure, as though they possess the deeds of the just. But this, too, I judge to be a very great vanity.
15 Og jeg priste Glæden, fordi Mennesket ikke har andet Gode under Solen end at spise og drikke og være glad, og at dette ledsager ham under hans Flid i de Levedage, Gud giver ham under Solen.
And so, I praised rejoicing, because there was no good for a man under the sun, except to eat and drink, and to be cheerful, and because he may take nothing with him from his labor in the days of his life, which God has given to him under the sun.
16 Hver Gang jeg vendte min Hu til at nemme Visdom og granske det Slid, som går for sig på Jorden - thi hverken Dag eller Nat får man Søvn i Øjnene -
And I applied my heart, so that I might know wisdom, and so that I might understand a disturbance that turns upon the earth: it is a man, who takes no sleep with his eyes, day and night.
17 da indså jeg, at det er således med alt Guds Værk, at Mennesket ikke kan udgrunde det, som sker under Solen; thi trods al den Flid, et Menneske gør sig med at søge, kan han ikke udgrunde det; og selv om den vise mener at kende det, kan han ikke udgrunde det.
And I understood that man is able to find no explanation for all those works of God which are done under the sun. And so, the more that he labors to seek, so much the less does he find. Yes, even if a wise man were to claim that he knows, he would not be able to discover it.
