Ecclesiastes 1
1 The words of Ecclesiastes, the son of David, king of Jerusalem.
Ord af Prædikeren, Davids Søn, Konge i Jerusalem.
2 Vanity of vanities, said Ecclesiastes vanity of vanities, and all is vanity.
Endeløs Tomhed, sagde Prædikeren, endeløs Tomhed, alt er Tomhed!
3 What hath a man more of all his labour, that he taketh under the sun?
Hvad Vinding har Mennesket af al den Flid, han gør sig under Solen?
4 One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth standeth for ever.
Slægt gaar, og Slægt kommer, men Jorden staar til evig Tid.
5 The sun riseth, and goeth down, and returneth to his place: and there rising again,
Sol staar op, og Sol gaar ned og haster igen til sin Opgangs Sted.
6 Maketh his round by the south, and turneth again to the north: the spirit goeth forward surveying all places round about, and returneth to his 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, yet the sea doth not overflow: unto the place from whence the rivers come, they return, to flow 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 hard: man cannot explain them by word. The eye is not filled with seeing, neither is the ear 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 it that hath been? the same thing that shall be. What is it that hath been done? the same that shall be done.
Det, der kommer, er det, der var, det, der sker, er det, der skete; der er slet intet nyt under Solen.
10 Nothing under the sun is new, neither is any man able to say: Behold this is new: for it hath already gone before in the ages that were 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 remembrance of former things: nor indeed of those things which hereafter are to come, shall there be any remembrance with them that shall be in the latter end.
Ej mindes de svundne Slægter, og de ny, som kommer engang, skal ej heller mindes af dem, som kommer senere hen.
12 I Ecclesiastes was king over Israel in Jerusalem,
Jeg, Prædikeren, var Konge over Israel i Jerusalem.
13 And I proposed in my mind to seek and search out wisely concerning all things that are done under the sun. This painful occupation hath God given to the children of men, to be exercised therein.
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 things that are done under the sun, and behold all is vanity, and vexation of spirit.
Jeg saa alt, hvad der sker under Solen, og se, det er alt sammen Tomhed og Jag efter Vind.
15 The perverse are hard to be corrected, and the number of fools is infinite.
Kroget kan ej blive lige, og halvt kan ej blive helt.
16 I have spoken in my heart, saying: Behold I am become great, and have gone beyond all in wisdom, that were before me in Jerusalem: and my mind hath contemplated many things wisely, and I have learned.
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 have given my heart to know prudence, and learning, and errors, and folly: and I have perceived that in these also there was labour, and vexation 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 Because In much wisdom there is much indignation: and he that addeth knowledge, addeth also labour.
Thi megen Visdom megen Græmmelse, øget Kundskab øget Smerte.
