Ecclesiastes 7
1 A good name is better than precious ointments: and the day of death than the day of one’s 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 the house of feasting: for in that we are put in mind of the end of all, and the living thinketh what is to come.
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 Anger is better than laughter: because by the sadness of the countenance the mind of the offender is corrected.
Græmmelse er bedre end Latter; thi, naar Ansigtet ser ilde ud, kan Hjertet have det godt.
4 The heart of the wise is where there is mourning, and the heart of fools where there is mirth.
De vises Hjerte er i Sorrigs Hus; men Daarernes Hjerte er i Glædes Hus.
5 It is better to be rebuked by a wise man, than to be deceived by the flattery 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 burning under a pot, so is the laughter of a fool: now this also is vanity.
Thi som Tjørne sprage under Gryden, saa er Daarers Latter; ogsaa dette er Forfængelighed.
7 Oppression troubleth the wise, and shall destroy the strength of his heart.
Thi Fortrykkelse kan gøre en viis gal, og Gave kan fordærve et Hjerte.
8 Better is the end of a speech than the beginning. Better is the patient man than the presumptuous.
Enden paa en Ting er bedre end Begyndelsen derpaa; bedre langmodig end hovmodig.
9 Be not quickly angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of a fool.
Vær ikke hastig i dit Sind til at fortørnes; thi Fortørnelse hviler i Daarers Barm.
10 Say not: What thinkest thou is the cause that former times were better than they are now? for this manner of question is foolish.
Sig ikke: Hvoraf kom det, at de forrige Dage vare bedre end disse? thi du spørger ikke om saadant af Visdom.
11 Wisdom with riches is more profitable, and bringeth more advantage to them that see the sun.
Visdom er god som et Arvegods, ja bedre for dem, som skue Solen;
12 For as wisdom is a defence, so money is a defence: but learning and wisdom excel in this, that they give life to him that possesseth them.
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 works of God, that no man can correct whom he hath despised.
Se Guds Gerning; thi hvo kan gøre det lige, som han gør kroget?
14 In the good day enjoy good things, and beware beforehand of the evil day: for God hath made both the one and the other, that man may not find against him any just complaint.
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 These things also I saw in the days of my vanity: A just man perisheth in his justice, and a wicked man liveth a long time 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 over just: and be not more wise than is necessary, lest thou become stupid.
Vær ikke alt for retfærdig, og te dig ikke overvættes viis; hvorfor vil du ødelægge dig selv?
17 Be not overmuch wicked: and be not foolish, lest 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 shouldst hold up the just, yea and from him withdraw not thy hand: for he that feareth God, neglecteth nothing.
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 hath strengthened the wise more than ten princes of the city.
Visdom styrker en viis mere end ti vældige, som ere i en Stad.
20 For there is no just man upon earth, that doth good, and sinneth not.
Thi der er ikke et Menneske retfærdigt paa Jorden, som gør godt og ikke synder.
21 But do not apply thy heart to all words that are spoken: lest perhaps thou hear thy servant reviling thee.
Læg ikke heller paa dit Hjerte alle de Ord, som man siger, at du ikke skal høre din Tjener forbande dig.
22 For thy conscience knoweth that thou also hast often spoken evil of others.
Thi dit Hjerte ved ogsaa de mange Gange, da du selv har forbandet andre.
23 I have tried all things in wisdom. I have said: I will be wise: and it departed farther from me,
Alt det har jeg forsøgt med Visdommen; jeg sagde: Jeg vil opnaa Visdom, men den forblev langt fra mig.
24 Much more than it was: it is a great depth, who shall find it out?
Det, som er til, er langt borte og dybt, dybt! hvo kan finde det?
25 I have surveyed all things with my mind, to know, and consider, and seek out wisdom and reason: and to know the wickedness of the fool, and the error of the imprudent:
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 have found a woman more bitter than death, who is the hunter’s snare, and her heart is a net, and her hands are bands. He that pleaseth God shall escape from her: but he that is a 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 Lo this have I found, said Ecclesiastes, weighing one thing after another, that I might find out the account,
Se, dette har jeg fundet, sagde Prædikeren, det ene efter det andet, idet jeg vilde finde Fornuftighed,
28 Which yet my soul seeketh, and I have not found it. One man among a thousand I have found, a woman among them all 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 Only this I have found, that God made man right, and he hath entangled himself with an infinity of questions. Who is as the wise man? and who hath known the resolution of the word?
Dog se, dette har jeg fundet, at Gud skabte Mennesket ret; men de søge mange Spidsfindigheder.
