Ecclesiastes 6
1 I have observed another evil here on earth, and it has a great impact on humanity.
Der er et Onde, jeg saa under Solen, og som tynger Menneskene haardt:
2 God gives wealth, possessions, and honor to someone. They have everything they want. But God doesn't let them enjoy what they have. Instead somebody else does! This is hard to fathom, and is truly evil.
Naar Gud giver en Mand Rigdom og Gods og Ære, saa han intet savner af, hvad han ønsker, og Gud ikke sætter ham i Stand til at nyde det, men en fremmed nyder det, da er dette Tomhed og en slem Lidelse.
3 A man could have one hundred children, and grow old, but it wouldn't matter how long his life was if he couldn't enjoy it and at the end receive a decent burial. I would say that a stillborn child would be better off than him.
Om en Mand avler hundrede Børn og lever mange Aar, saa hans Levetid bliver lang, men hans Sjæl ikke mættes af Goder, saa siger jeg dog, at et utidigt Foster er bedre faren end han;
4 The way a stillborn child comes into the world and then leaves is painfully hard to understand—arriving and departing in darkness—and who he would have been is never known.
thi at det kommer, er Tomhed, og det gaar bort i Mørke, og i Mørke dølges dets Navn;
5 He never saw the light of day or knew what it was like to live. Yet the child finds rest, and not this man.
og det har hverken set eller kendt Sol; det faar end ikke en Grav; det hviler bedre end han.
6 Even if this man were to live a thousand years twice over he still wouldn't be happy. Don't we all end up in the same place—the grave?
Om han saa levede to Gange tusind Aar, men ikke skuede Lykke — mon ikke alle farer sammesteds hen?
7 Everyone works so they can live, but they're never satisfied.
Al Menneskets Flid tjener hans Mund, og dog stilles hans Sult aldrig.
8 So then, what real advantage do wise people have over those who are fools? And do poor people really gain anything in knowing how to behave in front of others?
Thi hvad har den vise forud for Taaben, hvad baader det den arme, der ved at vandre for de levendes Øjne?
9 Be happy with what you have instead of running after what you don't! But this is also hard to do, like running after the wind.
Bedre at se med sine Øjne end higende Attraa. Ogsaa det er Tomhed og Jag efter Vind.
10 Everything that exists has already been described. Everyone knows what people are like, and that you can't win an argument with a superior.
Hvad der bliver til er for længst nævnet ved Navn, og det vides i Forvejen, hvad et Menneske bliver til; det kan ikke gaa i Rette med ham, der er den stærkeste.
11 For the more words you use, the harder it is to make sense. So what's the point?
Thi jo flere Ord der bruges, des større bliver Tomheden, og hvad gavner de Mennesket?
12 Who knows what's best for us and our lives? During our short lives that pass like shadows we have many unanswered questions. And who can tell us what will happen when we're gone?
Thi hvo ved, hvad der baader et Menneske i Livet, det Tal af tomme Levedage han henlever som en Skygge? Thi hvo kan sige et Menneske, hvad der skal ske under Solen efter hans Død?
