Ecclesiastes 1
1 The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king of Israel in Jerusalem.
Ord af Prædikeren, Davids Søn, Konge i Jerusalem.
2 Vanity of vanities, said the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.
Endeløs Tomhed, sagde Prædikeren, endeløs Tomhed, alt er Tomhed!
3 What advantage [is there] to a man in all his labour that he takes under the sun?
Hvad Vinding har Mennesket af al den Flid, han gør sig under Solen?
4 A generation goes, and a generation comes: but the earth stands for ever.
Slægt gaar, og Slægt kommer, men Jorden staar til evig Tid.
5 And the sun arises, and the sun goes down and draws towards its place;
Sol staar op, og Sol gaar ned og haster igen til sin Opgangs Sted.
6 arising there it proceeds southward, and goes round towards the north. The wind goes round and round, and the wind returns to its circuits.
Vinden gaar mod Syd og drejer mod Nord, den drejer atter og atter og vender tilbage til samme Kredsløb.
7 All the rivers run into the sea; and yet the sea is not filled: to the place whence the rivers come, there they return 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 labour; a man will not be able to speak [of them]: neither shall the eye be satisfied with seeing, neither shall the ear be filled with 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 What is that which has been? the very thing which shall be: and what is that which has been done? the very thing which shall 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 [Who is he] that shall speak and say, Behold, this is new? it has already been in the ages that have passed 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 memorial to the first things; neither to the things that have been last shall their memorial be with them that shall at the last [time].
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 applied my heart to seek out and examine by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven, for God has given to the sons of men an evil trouble to be troubled therewith.
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 saw all the works that were wrought under the sun; and, saw, all were vanity and waywardness of spirit.
Jeg saa alt, hvad der sker under Solen, og se, det er alt sammen Tomhed og Jag efter Vind.
15 That which is crooked can’t be made straight: and deficiency can’t be numbered.
Kroget kan ej blive lige, og halvt kan ej blive helt.
16 I spoke in my heart, saying, Behold, I am increased, and have acquired wisdom beyond all who were before me in Jerusalem: also I applied my heart to know 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 my heart knew much—wisdom, and knowledge, parables and understanding: I perceived that this also is waywardness of spirit.
Jeg vendte min Hu til at fatte, hvad der er Visdom og Kundskab, og hvad der er Daarskab og Taabelighed; jeg skønnede, at ogsaa det er Jag efter Vind.
18 For in the abundance of wisdom is abundance of knowledge; and he that increases knowledge will increase sorrow.
Thi megen Visdom megen Græmmelse, øget Kundskab øget Smerte.
