Ecclesiastes 1
1 The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.
Ord af Prædikeren, Davids Søn, Konge i Jerusalem.
2 All is to no purpose, said the Preacher, all the ways of man are to no purpose.
Endeløs Tomhed, sagde Prædikeren, endeløs Tomhed, alt er Tomhed!
3 What is a man profited by all his work which he does under the sun?
Hvad Vinding har Mennesket af al den Flid, han gør sig under Solen?
4 One generation goes and another comes; but the earth is for ever.
Slægt går, og Slægt kommer, men Jorden står til evig Tid.
5 The sun comes up and the sun goes down, and goes quickly back to the place where he came up.
Sol står op, og Sol går ned og haster igen til sin Opgangs Sted.
6 The wind goes to the south, turning back again to the north; circling round for ever.
Vinden går mod Syd og drejer mod Nord, den drejer atter og atter og vender tilbage til samme Kredsløb.
7 All the rivers go down to the sea, but the sea is not full; to the place where the rivers go, there they go again.
Alle Bække løber i Havet, men Havet bliver ikke fuldt; det Sted, til hvilket Bækkene løber, did bliver de ved at løbe.
8 All things are full of weariness; man may not give their story: the eye has never enough of its seeing, or the ear of its hearing.
Alting slider sig træt; Mand hører ikke op med at tale, Øjet bliver ikke mæt af at se, Øret ej fuldt af at høre.
9 That which has been, is that which is to be, and that which has been done, is that which will be done, and there is no new thing under the sun.
Det, der kommer, er det, der var, det, der sker, er det, der skete; der er slet intet nyt under Solen.
10 Is there anything of which men say, See, this is new? It has been in the old time which was before us.
Kommer der noget, om hvilket man siger: "Se, her er da noget nyt!"det har dog for længst været til i Tiderne forud for os
11 There is no memory of those who have gone before, and of those who come after there will be no memory for those who are still to come after them.
Ej mindes de svundne Slægter, og de ny, som kommer engang, skal ej heller mindes af dem, som kommer senere hen.
12 I, the Preacher, was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
Jeg, Prædikeren, var Konge over Israel i Jerusalem.
13 And I gave my heart to searching out in wisdom all things which are done under heaven: it is a hard thing which God has put on the sons of men to do.
Jeg vendte min Hu til at ransage og med Visdom udgranske alt, hvad der sker under Himmelen; det er et ondt Slid, som Gud har givet Menneskens Børn at slide med.
14 I have seen all the works which are done under the sun; all is to no purpose, and desire for wind.
Jeg så alt, hvad der sker under Solen, og se, det er alt sammen Tomhed og Jag efter Vind.
15 That which is bent may not be made straight, and that which is not there may not be numbered.
Kroget kan ej blive lige, og halvt kan ej blive helt.
16 I said to my heart, See, I have become great and am increased in wisdom more than any who were before me in Jerusalem — yes, my heart has seen much wisdom and knowledge.
Jeg tænkte ved mig selv: "Se, jeg har vundet større og rigere Visdom end alle de, der før mig var over Jerusalem, og mit Hjerte har skuet Visdom og Kundskab i Fylde."
17 And I gave my heart to getting knowledge of wisdom, and of the ways of the foolish. And I saw that this again was desire for wind.
Jeg vendte min Hu til at fatte, hvad der er Visdom og Kundskab, og hvad der er Dårskab og Tåbelighed; jeg skønnede, at også det er Jag efter Vind.
18 Because in much wisdom is much grief, and increase of knowledge is increase of sorrow.
Thi megen Visdom megen Græmmelse, øget Kundskab øget Smerte.
