Ecclesiastes 7
1 A good name is better than precious oil, and the day of death, than the day of birth.
Bedre er et godt Navn end en god Salve og Dødens Dag end ens Fødselsdag.
2 It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting. For that is the end of all men, and the living will lay it to his heart.
Det er bedre at gaa til Sørgehuset end at gaa til Gæstebudshuset, fordi hint er hvert Menneskes Endeligt; og den levende skal lægge sig det paa Hjerte.
3 Sorrow is better than laughter, for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made glad.
Græmmelse er bedre end Latter; thi, naar Ansigtet ser ilde ud, kan Hjertet have det godt.
4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
De vises Hjerte er i Sorrigs Hus; men Daarernes Hjerte er i Glædes Hus.
5 It is better to hear the rebuke of a wise man, than for a man to hear the song of fools.
Det er bedre at høre Skænd af den vise, end at man hører Sang af Daarer.
6 For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool. This also is vanity.
Thi som Tjørne sprage under Gryden, saa er Daarers Latter; ogsaa dette er Forfængelighed.
7 Surely oppression makes the wise man foolish, and a bribe destroys the understanding.
Thi Fortrykkelse kan gøre en viis gal, og Gave kan fordærve et Hjerte.
8 Better is the end of a thing than the beginning of it. The patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.
Enden paa en Ting er bedre end Begyndelsen derpaa; bedre langmodig end hovmodig.
9 Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry, for anger rests in the bosom of fools.
Vær ikke hastig i dit Sind til at fortørnes; thi Fortørnelse hviler i Daarers Barm.
10 Say thou not, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? For thou do not inquire wisely concerning this.
Sig ikke: Hvoraf kom det, at de forrige Dage vare bedre end disse? thi du spørger ikke om saadant af Visdom.
11 Wisdom is as good as an inheritance, yea, it is more excellent for those who see the sun.
Visdom er god som et Arvegods, ja bedre for dem, som skue Solen;
12 For wisdom is a defense, even as money is a defense. But the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom preserves the life of him who has it.
thi at være under Visdoms Skygge, er at være under Penges Skygge; og Kundskabs Fortrin er: At Visdommen giver dem Livet, som eje den.
13 Consider the work of God. For who can make that straight, which he has made crooked?
Se Guds Gerning; thi hvo kan gøre det lige, som han gør kroget?
14 In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider. Yea, God has made the one side by side with the other, to the end that man should not find out anything after him.
Vær ved et godt Mod paa en god Dag, men betænk paa en ond Dag, at Gud har gjort denne ved Siden af den anden, for at Mennesket ikke skal finde noget, som skal ske efter ham.
15 All this I have seen in my days of vanity. There is a righteous man who perishes in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man who prolongs his life in his evil-doing.
Alt det har jeg set i min Forfængeligheds Dage: Der er en retfærdig, som omkommer i sin Retfærdighed, og der er en ugudelig, som lever længe i sin Ondskab.
16 Be not over-righteous, nor show thyself too wise. Why should thou destroy thyself?
Vær ikke alt for retfærdig, og te dig ikke overvættes viis; hvorfor vil du ødelægge dig selv?
17 Do not much wrong, nor be thou a fool. Why should thou die before thy time?
Vær ikke alt for uretfærdig, og vær ikke en Daare; hvorfor skulde du dø i Utide?
18 It is good that thou should take hold of this, yea, also from that withdraw not thy hand. For he who fears God shall come forth from them all.
Det er godt, at du holder fast ved det ene, men du skal og ikke lade din Haand af fra det andet; thi den, som frygter Gud, undgaar det alt.
19 Wisdom is a strength to the wise man more than ten rulers that are in a city.
Visdom styrker en viis mere end ti vældige, som ere i en Stad.
20 Surely there is not a righteous man upon earth that does good, and sins not.
Thi der er ikke et Menneske retfærdigt paa Jorden, som gør godt og ikke synder.
21 Also do not take heed to all words that are spoken, lest thou hear thy servant curse thee.
Læg ikke heller paa dit Hjerte alle de Ord, som man siger, at du ikke skal høre din Tjener forbande dig.
22 For many times also thine own heart knows that thou thyself likewise have cursed others.
Thi dit Hjerte ved ogsaa de mange Gange, da du selv har forbandet andre.
23 All this I have proved in wisdom. I said, I will be wise, but it was far from me.
Alt det har jeg forsøgt med Visdommen; jeg sagde: Jeg vil opnaa Visdom, men den forblev langt fra mig.
24 That which is, is far off and exceedingly deep. Who can find it out?
Det, som er til, er langt borte og dybt, dybt! hvo kan finde det?
25 I turned about, and my heart was set to know and to search out, and to seek wisdom and the reason of things, and to know that wickedness is folly, and that foolishness is madness.
Jeg vendte mig om med mit Hjerte, for at forstaa og at udgranske og at søge Visdom og Fornuftighed og for at forstaa, at Ugudelighed er Daarskab, og at Daarskab er Vanvid.
26 And I find more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and nets, and whose hands are chains. He who pleases God shall escape from her, but the sinner shall be taken by her.
Og jeg fandt, hvad der var beskere end Døden: Den Kvinde, hvis Hjerte var Snarer og Garn, og hvis Hænder vare Baand; den, som er velbehagelig for Guds Ansigt, skal undkomme fra hende, men en Synder skal fanges ved hende.
27 Behold, I have found this, says the Preacher, laying one thing to another, to find out the account,
Se, dette har jeg fundet, sagde Prædikeren, det ene efter det andet, idet jeg vilde finde Fornuftighed,
28 which my soul still seeks, but I have not found: among a thousand I have found one man, but among all those I have not found a woman.
hvilken min Sjæl endnu søger, men jeg ikke har fundet; iblandt tusinde fandt jeg een Mand, men fandt ikke en Kvinde iblandt dem alle.
29 Behold, this only I have found: That God made man upright, but they have sought out many contrivances.
Dog se, dette har jeg fundet, at Gud skabte Mennesket ret; men de søge mange Spidsfindigheder.
