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.
Fremdeles saa jeg al den Undertrykkelse, som sker under Solen; jeg saa de undertryktes Taarer og ingen trøstede dem; de led Vold af deres Undertrykkeres Haand, og ingen trøstede dem.
2 Therefore I praised the dead who have long been dead more than the living who are yet alive.
Da priste jeg de døde, som allerede er døde, lykkeligere end de levende, som endnu er 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 lykkeligere end begge den, som slet ikke er til, som ikke har set det onde, der sker 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, at al Flid og alt dygtigt Arbejde udspringer af den enes Misundelse mod den anden. Ogsaa det er Tomhed og Jag efter Vind.
5 The fool folds his hands together, and eats his own flesh.
Daaren lægger Hænderne i Skødet og æder sig selv op.
6 Better is a handful, with quietness, than two handfuls with labor and striving after wind.
Bedre en Haandfuld Hvile end Hænderne fulde af Flid og Jag efter Vind.
7 Then I returned and saw vanity under the sun.
Og mere Tomhed saa jeg 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.
Mangen staar alene og har ikke nogen ved sin Side, hverken Søn eller Broder, og dog er der ingen Ende paa al hans Flid og hans Øje bliver ikke mæt af Rigdom. Men, for hvis Skyld gør jeg mig Flid og nægter mig enhver Nydelse? Ogsaa det, er Tomhed og ondt Slid.
9 Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor.
To er bedre faren end een, thi de faar god Løn for deres Flid;
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.
hvis den ene falder, kan den anden rejse sin Fælle op. Men ve den ensomme! Thi falder han, er der ingen til at rejse ham op.
11 Again, if two lie together, then they have warmth, but how can one be warm alone?
Og naar to ligger sammen, bliver de varme; men hvorledes kan den ensomme 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 naar nogen kan overvælde den ensomme, saa kan to staa sig imod ham; tretvundet Snor brister ikke i Hast.
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 en fattig Yngling, som er viis, end en gammel Konge, som er en Taabe og ikke mere har Forstand til at lade sig raade.
14 For he came forth out of prison to be king, yea, even in his kingdom he was born poor.
Thi hin gik ud af Fængselet for at blive Konge, skønt han var født i Fattigdom under den andens Regering.
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, som levede og færdedes under Solen, stille sig ved den Ynglings Side, som skulde træde i Kongens 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 Tal paa alle de Mennesker, han stod i Spidsen for; men heller ikke over ham glæder de senere Slægter sig; nej, ogsaa det er Tomhed og Jag efter Vind.
