Ecclesiastes 4
1 Then I returned and saw all the oppressions that are done under the sun. And, behold, the tears of such as were oppressed, and they had no comforter. And on the side of their oppressors there was power, but they had no comforter.
Og jeg vendte tilbage og saa alle de undertrykte, som ilde medhandles under Solen; og se, de undertryktes Taarer, og der var ingen, som trøstede dem, og fra deres Undertrykkeres Haand udgik Vold; derimod havde de ingen, som trøstede dem.
2 Therefore I praised the dead who have long been dead more than the living who are yet alive.
Da prisede jeg de døde, som alt vare døde, fremfor de levende, som endnu ere i Live;
3 Yea, better than them both is him who has not yet been, who has not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.
men lykkelig fremfor begge dog den, som endnu ikke har været til, som ikke har set den onde Gerning, der gøres under Solen.
4 Then I saw all labor and every skilful work, that for this a man is envied by his neighbor. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.
Og jeg saa alt Arbejde og al Dygtighed i Gerningen, at det paadrog en Mand Misundelse af hans Næste; ogsaa dette er Forfængelighed og Aandsfortærelse.
5 The fool folds his hands together, and eats his own flesh.
Daaren lægger sine Hænder sammen og fortærer sit eget Kød.
6 Better is a handful, with quietness, than two handfuls with labor and striving after wind.
En Haandfuld med Ro er bedre end begge Næver fulde med Møje og Aandsfortærelse.
7 Then I returned and saw vanity under the sun.
Og jeg vendte tilbage og saa Forfængelighed under Solen:
8 There is one man who is alone, and he has not a second, yea, he has neither son nor brother. Yet there is no end of all his labor, nor are his eyes satisfied with riches. For whom then, he says, do I labor, and deprive my soul of good? This also is vanity, yea, it is a great travail.
Der er den, som er ene og ikke har nogen anden og har hverken Søn eller Broder; dog er der ingen Ende paa alt hans Arbejde, og hans Øjne mættes ikke af Rigdom; — og: „For hvem arbejder jeg og lader min Sjæl fattes det gode‟? ogsaa dette er Forfængelighed og en slem Møje.
9 Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor.
Bedre to end een; thi de have en god Løn for deres Arbejde.
10 For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow, but woe to him who is alone when he falls, and has not another to lift him up.
Thi dersom de falde, kan den ene oprejse sin Stalbroder, men ve den, som er ene; naar han falder, er der ingen anden til at oprejse ham.
11 Again, if two lie together, then they have warmth, but how can one be warm alone?
Ogsaa naar to ligge sammen, da have de Varme; men hvorledes kan en alene blive varm?
12 And if a man prevails against him who is alone, two shall withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
Og om nogen vilde overvælde ham, som er ene, kunde to staa ham imod; og den tredobbelte Traad sønderrives ikke saa snart.
13 Better is a poor and wise youth than an old and foolish king who does not know how to receive admonition any more.
Bedre faren er et ungt Menneske, som er viist, end en gammel Konge, som er en Daare, og som endnu ikke ved at lade sig advare.
14 For he came forth out of prison to be king, yea, even in his kingdom he was born poor.
Thi af Fangehuset udgik hin for at blive Konge, medens den, som var født i sit Kongerige, blev fattig.
15 I saw all the living who walk under the sun, that they were with the youth, the second, who stood up in his stead.
Jeg saa alle dem, som leve, som vandre under Solen, at holde sig til det andet unge Menneske, der indtager hans Sted.
16 There was no end of all the people, even of all those over whom he was. Yet those who come after shall not rejoice in him. Surely this also is vanity and a striving after wind.
Der var ikke Ende paa alt det Folk, paa alt det, som han gik i Spidsen for, dog skulle Efterkommerne ikke glædes over ham: Thi ogsaa dette er Forfængelighed og Aandsfortærelse.
