Ecclesiastes 7
1 A good name is better than good 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 banquet house: since this is the end of every man; and the living man will apply good [warning] 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 will be made better.
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 a reproof 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 As the sound of thorns under a cauldron, so is the laughter of fools: this is also vanity.
Thi som Tjørne sprage under Gryden, saa er Daarers Latter; ogsaa dette er Forfængelighed.
7 for oppression makes a wise man mad, and destroys his noble heart.
Thi Fortrykkelse kan gøre en viis gal, og Gave kan fordærve et Hjerte.
8 The end of a matter is better than the beginning thereof: the patient is better than the high-minded.
Enden paa en Ting er bedre end Begyndelsen derpaa; bedre langmodig end hovmodig.
9 Be not hasty in your spirit to be angry: for anger will rest in the bosom of fools.
Vær ikke hastig i dit Sind til at fortørnes; thi Fortørnelse hviler i Daarers Barm.
10 Say not, What has happened, that the former days were better than these? for you do not enquire in wisdom 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 good with an inheritance: and [there is] an advantage [by it] to them that see the sun.
Visdom er god som et Arvegods, ja bedre for dem, som skue Solen;
12 For wisdom in its shadow is as the shadow of silver: and the excellence of the knowledge of wisdom will give life to him that 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 Behold the works of God: for who shall be able to straighten him whom God has made crooked?
Se Guds Gerning; thi hvo kan gøre det lige, som han gør kroget?
14 In the day of prosperity live joyfully, and consider in the day of adversity: consider, [I say], God also has caused the one to agree with the other for [this] reason, that man should find nothing 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 I have seen all things in the days of my vanity: there is a just man perishing in his justice, and there is an ungodly man remaining in his wickedness.
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 very just; neither be very wise: lest you be confounded.
Vær ikke alt for retfærdig, og te dig ikke overvættes viis; hvorfor vil du ødelægge dig selv?
17 Be not very wicked; and be not stubborn: lest you should die before your time.
Vær ikke alt for uretfærdig, og vær ikke en Daare; hvorfor skulde du dø i Utide?
18 It is well for you to hold fast by this; also by this defile not your hand: for to them that fear God all things shall come forth [well].
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 will help the wise man more than ten mighty men which are in the city.
Visdom styrker en viis mere end ti vældige, som ere i en Stad.
20 For there is not a righteous man in the earth, who will do good, and not sin
Thi der er ikke et Menneske retfærdigt paa Jorden, som gør godt og ikke synder.
21 Also take no heed to all the words which ungodly men shall speak; lest you hear your servant cursing you.
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 he shall trespass against you, and repeatedly shall he afflict your heart; for thus also have you cursed others.
Thi dit Hjerte ved ogsaa de mange Gange, da du selv har forbandet andre.
23 All these things have I 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] far beyond what was, and a great depth, who shall find it out?
Det, som er til, er langt borte og dybt, dybt! hvo kan finde det?
25 I and my heart went round about to know, and to examine, and to seek wisdom, and the account [of things], and to know the folly and trouble and madness of the ungodly man.
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 her [to be], and I will pronounce [to be] more bitter than death the woman which is a snare, and her heart nets, [who has] a band in her hands: [he that is] good in the sight of God shall be delivered from her; but the sinner shall be caught 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, this have I found, said the Preacher, [seeking] by one at a time 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 sought after, but I found not: for I have found one man of a thousand; but a woman in all these I have not found.
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 But, behold, this have I found, that God made man upright; but they have sought out many devices.
Dog se, dette har jeg fundet, at Gud skabte Mennesket ret; men de søge mange Spidsfindigheder.
