Ecclesiastes 6
1 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is heavy upon men:
Der er en Ulykke, som jeg saa under Solen, og den er svar over Menneskene:
2 A man to whom God gives riches, wealth, and honor, so that he lacks nothing for his soul of all that he desires, yet God does not give him power to eat of it, but an alien eats it. This is vanity, and it is an evil disease.
Naar der er en Mand, hvem Gud giver Rigdom og Gods og Ære, og han fattes intet for sin Sjæl af alt det, som han vil begære, og Gud giver ham ikke Magt til at æde deraf, men en fremmed Mand fortærer det: Da er dette Forfængelighed og en slem Lidelse.
3 If a man begets a hundred sons, and lives many years so that the days of his years are many, but his soul is not filled with good, and moreover he has no burial, I say, that an untimely birth is better than he.
Dersom en Mand avlede hundrede Børn og levede mange Aar, saa hans Aars Dage bleve mange, og hans Sjæl dog ikke mættedes af det gode, og han heller ingen Begravelse fik: Saa siger jeg, at et utidigt Foster er bedre faren end han.
4 For it comes in vanity, and departs in darkness, and the name of it is covered with darkness.
Thi dette kom med Forfængelighed og gaar bort i Mørket, og dets Navn bliver skjult i Mørket.
5 Moreover it has not seen the sun nor known it, this one has rest rather than the other.
Det hverken saa eller kendte Sol; det har mere Ro end han.
6 Yea, though he lives a thousand years twice told, and yet enjoys no good, do not all go to one place?
Ja, dersom han end levede tusinde Aar to Gange og ikke saa det gode, farer dog ikke enhver til et Sted?
7 All the labor of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled.
Alt Menneskets Arbejde er for hans Mund; men Sjælen kan dog ikke fyldes.
8 For what advantage has the wise man more than the fool? What has the poor man, who knows how to walk before the living?
Thi hvad Fortrin har den vise fremfor Daaren? hvad har den fattige, som forstaar at vandre for de levende?
9 Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.
Bedre er, hvad man ser for Øjnene, end Sjælens Begær; ogsaa dette er Forfængelighed og Aandsfortærelse.
10 Whatever has been, the name of it was given long ago, and it is know what man is. Neither can he contend with him who is mightier than he.
Hvad en er — hans Navn er allerede nævnt, og det er vitterligt, at han er et Menneske; og han kan ikke trætte med den, som er ham for mægtig.
11 Since there are many things that increase vanity, what is man the better?
Thi der er mange Ting, de foraarsage megen Forfængelighed; hvad Fordel har et Menneske deraf?
12 For who knows what is good for man in life, all the days of his vain life which he spends as a shadow? For who can tell a man what shall be after him under the sun?
Thi hvo ved, hvad der er godt for Mennesket i dette Liv, i hans Forfængeligheds Livsdages Tal, hvilke han tilbringer som en Skygge? thi hvo vil kundgøre et Menneske, hvad der skal ske efter ham under Solen?
