Ecclesiastes 3
1 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
Alt har sin Stund og hver en Ting under Himmelen sin Tid:
2 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
Tid til at fødes og Tid til at dø, Tid til at plante og Tid til at rydde,
3 A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
Tid til at dræbe og Tid til at læge, Tid til at nedrive og Tid til at opbygge,
4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
Tid til at græde og Tid til at le, Tid til at sørge og Tid til at danse,
5 A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
Tid til at kaste Sten, og Tid til at sanke Sten, Tid til at favne og Tid til ikke at favne,
6 A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
Tid til at søge og Tid til at miste, Tid til at gemme og Tid til at bortkaste,
7 A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
Tid til at flænge og Tid til at sy, Tid til at tie og Tid til at tale,
8 A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.
Tid til at elske og Tid til at hade, Tid til Krig og Tid til Fred.
9 What profit has he that works in that wherein he labors?
Hvad Løn for sin Flid har da den, der arbejder?
10 I have seen the travail, which God has given to the sons of men to be exercised in it.
Jeg saa det Slid, som Gud har givet Menneskens Børn at slide med.
11 He has made every thing beautiful in his time: also he has set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God makes from the beginning to the end.
Alt har han skabt smukt til rette Tid; ogsaa Evigheden har han lagt i deres Hjerte, dog saaledes at Menneskene hverken fatter det første eller det sidste af, hvad Gud har virket.
12 I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice, and to do good in his life.
Jeg skønnede, at der ikke gives noget andet Gode for dem end at glæde sig og have det godt, saa længe de lever.
13 And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labor, it is the gift of God.
Dog ogsaa det at spise og drikke og nyde det gode under al sin Flid er for hvert Menneske en Guds Gave.
14 I know that, whatever God does, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God does it, that men should fear before him.
Jeg skønnede, at alt, hvad Gud virker, bliver evindelig, uden at noget kan føjes til eller tages fra; og saaledes har Gud gjort det, for at man skal frygte for hans Aasyn.
15 That which has been is now; and that which is to be has already been; and God requires that which is past.
Hvad der sker, var allerede, og hvad der skal ske, har allerede været; Gud leder det svundne op.
16 And moreover I saw under the sun the place of judgment, that wickedness was there; and the place of righteousness, that iniquity was there.
Fremdeles saa jeg under Solen, at Gudløshed var paa Rettens Sted og Gudløshed paa Retfærds Sted.
17 I said in my heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked: for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.
Jeg sagde ved mig selv: »Den retfærdige og den gudløse dømmer Gud; thi for hver en Ting og hver en Idræt har han fastsat en Tid.«
18 I said in my heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts.
Jeg sagde ved mig selv: »Det er for Menneskenes Skyld, for at Gud kan prøve dem, og for at de selv kan se, at de er Dyr.«
19 For that which befalls the sons of men befalls beasts; even one thing befalls them: as the one dies, so dies the other; yes, they have all one breath; so that a man has no preeminence above a beast: for all is vanity.
Thi Menneskers og Dyrs Skæbne er ens; som den ene dør, dør den anden, og en og samme Aand har de alle; Mennesket har intet forud for Dyrene, thi alt er Tomhed.
20 All go to one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again.
Alle gaar sammesteds hen, alle blev til af Muld, og alle vender tilbage til Mulden.
21 Who knows the spirit of man that goes upward, and the spirit of the beast that goes downward to the earth?
Hvo ved, om Menneskenes Aand stiger opad, og om Dyrenes Aand farer nedad til Jorden?
22 Why I perceive that there is nothing better, than that a man should rejoice in his own works; for that is his portion: for who shall bring him to see what shall be after him?
Saaledes indsaa jeg, at intet er bedre for Mennesket end at glæde sig ved sin Gerning, thi det er hans Del; thi hvo kan bringe ham saa vidt, at han kan se, hvad der kommer efter hans Død?
