Prædikeren 9
1 Ja, alt dette lagde jeg mig på Sinde, og mit hjerte indså det alt sammen: at de retfærdige og de vise og deres Gerninger er i Guds Hånd. Hverken om Kærlighed eller Had kan Menneskene vide noget; alt, hvad der er dem for Øje, er Tomhed.
For all this did I reflect over in my heart and to explain all this, that the righteous, and the wise, and their services, are in the hand of God: that man knoweth neither love nor hatred; it is all [ordained] before them;
2 Thi alle får en og samme Skæbne, retfærdig og gudløs, god og ond, ren og uren, den, som ofrer, og den, som ikke ofrer; det går den gode som Synderen, den sværgende som den, der skyr at sværge.
Every thing as it is to happen to all; there is but one occurrence for the righteous, and for the wicked; for the good and for the clean, and for the unclean; and for him that sacrificeth, and for him that sacrificeth not; as is the good, so is the sinner; he that sweareth, as he that feareth an oath.
3 Det er det, der er Fejlen ved alt, hvad der sker under Solen, at alle får en og samme Skæbne; derfor er også Menneskebørnenes Hjerte fuldt af ondt, og der er Dårskab i deres Hjerte Livet igennem, og tilsidst må de ned til de døde.
This is an evil among all things that are done under the sun, that there is one occurrence for all, and that also the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and that madness is in their heart while they live, and after this they go to the dead.
4 Kun for den, der hører til de levendes Flok, er der Håb; thi levende Hund er bedre faren end død Løve.
For whoever is yet united with all the living hath still hope; for a living dog fareth 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 the living know that they will die; but the dead know not the least; nor have they longer any reward; for their memory is forgotten.
6 Både deres Kærlighed og deres Had og deres Misundelse er forlængst borte, og de får ingen Sinde mere Lod og Del i noget af det, som sker under Solen.
Also their love, and their hatred, and their envy, are now already lost; and they will have never more a portion in all that is done under the sun.
7 Så spis da dit Brød med Glæde, drik vel til Mode din Vin; thi din Id har Gud for længst kendt god.
Go, eat with joy thy bread, and drink with a merry heart thy wine, if God have already received thy works in favor.
8 Dine Klæder være altid hvide, lad Olie ikke savnes på dit Hoved!
At all times let thy garments be white, and let oil not be wanting on thy head.
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.
Enjoy life with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of the life of thy vanity, which God hath given thee under the sun, [yea, ] all the days of thy vanity; for this is thy portion in this life, and in thy toil with which thou toilest under the sun.
10 Gør efter Evne alt, hvad din Hånd finder Styrke til; thi der er hverken Virke eller Tanke eller Kundskab eller Visdom i Dødsriget, hvor du stævner hen. (Sheol h7585)
Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do with thy might, that do; for there is no work, nor experience, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the nether world, whither thou goest.— (Sheol h7585)
11 Og atter så 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 turned about, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the mighty; and that also the wise have no bread, nor yet the men of understanding riches, nor yet men of knowledge favor; but time and fate will overtake them all.
12 Thi et Menneske kender lige så 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, når den brat falder over dem.
For man also knoweth not his time, like the fishes that are caught in an evil net, and like the birds that are caught in the snare: like these are the sons of men ensnared at an evil time, when it falleth upon them suddenly.
13 Også dette Tilfælde af Visdom så jeg under Solen, og det gjorde dybt Indtryk på mig:
Also in this manner have I seen wisdom under the sun, and it seemed great unto me:
14 Der var en lille By med få Indbyggere, og mod den kom en stor Konge; han omringede den og byggede høje Volde imod den;
There was a little city, and the men therein were few; and there came against it a great king, who enclosed it, and built around it great works of siege;
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.
But there was found in it a poor wise man, and he delivered the city by his wisdom; yet no man had thought of that same poor man.
16 Da sagde jeg: "Visdom er bedre end Styrke, men den fattiges Visdom agtes ringe, og hans Ord høres ikke."
Then said I, Wisdom is better than might: although the poor man's wisdom is held in contempt, and his words are not heard.
17 Vismænds Ord, der høres i Ro, er bedre end en Herskers Råb iblandt Dårer.
The words of wise men heard in quiet are better than the cry of him that ruleth among fools.
18 Visdom er bedre end Våben, men en eneste Synder kan ødelægge meget godt.
Wisdom is better than weapons of war; but one sinner causes much good to be lost.
