Ecclesiastes 3
1 For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven:
Alt har sin Stund og hver en Ting under Himmelen sin Tid:
2 a time to be born, and a time to die, a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted,
Tid til at fødes og Tid til at dø, Tid til at plante og Tid til at rydde,
3 a time to kill, and a time to heal, a time to break down, and a time to build up,
Tid til at dræbe og Tid til at læge, Tid til at nedrive og Tid til at opbygge,
4 a time to weep, and a time to laugh, a time to mourn, and a time to dance,
Tid til at græde og Tid til at le, Tid til at sørge og Tid til at danse,
5 a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together, a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing,
Tid til at kaste Sten, og Tid til at sanke Sten, Tid til at favne og Tid til ikke at favne,
6 a time to seek, and a time to lose, a time to keep, and a time to cast away,
Tid til at søge og Tid til at miste, Tid til at gemme og Tid til at bortkaste,
7 a time to tear, and a time to sew, a time to keep silence, and a time to speak,
Tid til at flænge og Tid til at sy, Tid til at tie og Tid til at tale,
8 a time to love, and a time to hate, a time for war, and a time for peace.
Tid til at elske og Tid til at hade, Tid til Krig og Tid til Fred.
9 What profit has he who works in that in which he labors?
Hvad Løn for sin Flid har da den, der arbejder?
10 I have seen the travail which God has given to the sons of men to be employed therewith.
Jeg saa det Slid, som Gud har givet Menneskens Børn at slide med.
11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also he has set eternity in their heart, yet so that man cannot find out the work that God has done from the beginning even to the end.
Alt har han skabt smukt til rette Tid; ogsaa Evigheden har han lagt i deres Hjerte, dog saaledes at Menneskene hverken fatter det første eller det sidste af, hvad Gud har virket.
12 I know that there is nothing better for them, than to rejoice, and to do good as long as they live.
Jeg skønnede, at der ikke gives noget andet Gode for dem end at glæde sig og have det godt, saa længe de lever.
13 And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy good in all his labor. It is the gift of God.
Dog ogsaa det at spise og drikke og nyde det gode under al sin Flid er for hvert Menneske en Guds Gave.
14 I know that, whatever God does, it shall be forever. Nothing can be put to it, nor anything taken from it. And God has done it that men should fear before him.
Jeg skønnede, at alt, hvad Gud virker, bliver evindelig, uden at noget kan føjes til eller tages fra; og saaledes har Gud gjort det, for at man skal frygte for hans Aasyn.
15 That which is, has been long ago, and that which is to be, has long ago been. And God seeks again that which has passed away.
Hvad der sker, var allerede, og hvad der skal ske, har allerede været; Gud leder det svundne op.
16 And moreover I saw under the sun, in the place of justice, that wickedness was there, and in the place of righteousness, that wickedness was there.
Fremdeles saa jeg under Solen, at Gudløshed var paa Rettens Sted og Gudløshed paa Retfærds Sted.
17 I said in my heart, God will judge the righteous man and the wicked man, for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.
Jeg sagde ved mig selv: »Den retfærdige og den gudløse dømmer Gud; thi for hver en Ting og hver en Idræt har han fastsat en Tid.«
18 I said in my heart, It is because of the sons of men, that God may prove them, and that they may see that they themselves are beasts.
Jeg sagde ved mig selv: »Det er for Menneskenes Skyld, for at Gud kan prøve dem, og for at de selv kan se, at de er Dyr.«
19 For that which befalls the sons of men befalls beasts, even one thing befalls them; as the one dies, so dies the other. Yea, they all have one breath, and man has no preeminence above the beasts; for all is vanity.
Thi Menneskers og Dyrs Skæbne er ens; som den ene dør, dør den anden, og en og samme Aand har de alle; Mennesket har intet forud for Dyrene, thi alt er Tomhed.
20 All go to one place. All are of the dust, and all turn to dust again.
Alle gaar sammesteds hen, alle blev til af Muld, og alle vender tilbage til Mulden.
21 Who knows the spirit of man, whether it goes upward, and the spirit of the beast, whether it goes downward to the earth?
Hvo ved, om Menneskenes Aand stiger opad, og om Dyrenes Aand farer nedad til Jorden?
22 Therefore I saw that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his works, for that is his portion. For who shall bring him back to see what shall be after him?
Saaledes indsaa jeg, at intet er bedre for Mennesket end at glæde sig ved sin Gerning, thi det er hans Del; thi hvo kan bringe ham saa vidt, at han kan se, hvad der kommer efter hans Død?
