Ecclesiastes 11
1 Cast your bread over running waters. For, after a long time, you shall find it again.
Kast dit Brød paa Vandet, Thi du faar det igen, gaar end lang Tid hen.
2 Give a portion to seven, and indeed even to eight. For you do not know what evil may be upon the earth in the future.
Del dit Gods i syv otte Dele, thi du ved ej, hvad ondt der kan ske paa Jorden.
3 If the clouds have been filled, they will pour forth rain upon the earth. If a tree falls to the south, or to the north, or to whatever direction it may fall, there it shall remain.
Er Skyerne fulde af Regn, saa gyder de den ud over Jorden; og falder et Træ mod Syd eller Nord; saa bliver det liggende der, hvor det falder.
4 Whoever heeds the wind will not sow. And whoever considers the clouds will never reap.
Man faar aldrig saaet, naar man kigger efter Vinden, og aldrig høstet, naar man ser efter Skyerne.
5 In the same manner that you do not know the way of the spirit, nor the way that bones are joined together in the womb of a pregnant woman, so you do not know the works of God, who is the Maker of all.
Som du ikke kender Vindens Vej eller Fostret i Moders Liv, saa kender du ej heller Guds Virke, han, som virker alt.
6 In the morning, sow your seed, and in the evening, do not let your hand cease. For you do not know which of these may rise up, the one or the other. But if both rise up together, so much the better.
Saa din Sæd ved Gry og lad Haanden ej hvile ved Kvæld; thi du ved ej, om dette eller hint vil lykkes, eller begge Dele er lige gode.
7 Light is pleasant, and it is delightful for the eyes to see the sun.
Lyset er lifligt, at skue Solen er godt for Øjnene;
8 If a man lives for many years, and if he has rejoiced in all of these, he must remember the many days of the dark times, which, when they will have arrived, will accuse the past of vanity.
ja, lever et Menneske mange Aar, skal han glæde sig over dem alle og komme Mørkets Dage i Hu, thi af dem er der mange i Vente; alt, hvad der kommer, er Tomhed.
9 So then, rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart remain in what is good during the days of your youth. And walk in the ways of your heart, and with the perception of your eyes. And know that, concerning all these things, God will bring you to judgment.
Glæd dig, Yngling, i din Ungdom, vær vel til Mode i Livets Vaar; gaa, hvor dit Hjerte lyster, og nyd, hvad dit Øje skuer; men vid, at for alle disse Ting skal du kræves til Regnskab af Gud.
10 Remove anger from your heart, and set aside evil from your flesh. For youth and pleasure are empty.
Slaa Mismod ud af dit Sind, hold Sygdom fjernt fra din Krop; thi Ungdom og Livsgry er Tomhed!
