Ecclesiastes 7
1 A good name is better than precious ointment; 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 go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart.
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 Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.
Græmmelse er bedre end Latter; thi, naar Ansigtet ser ilde ud, kan Hjertet have det godt.
4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
De vises Hjerte er i Sorrigs Hus; men Daarernes Hjerte er i Glædes Hus.
5 It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song 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 under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity.
Thi som Tjørne sprage under Gryden, saa er Daarers Latter; ogsaa dette er Forfængelighed.
7 Surely oppression makes a wise man mad; and a gift destroys the heart.
Thi Fortrykkelse kan gøre en viis gal, og Gave kan fordærve et Hjerte.
8 Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.
Enden paa en Ting er bedre end Begyndelsen derpaa; bedre langmodig end hovmodig.
9 Be not hasty in your spirit to be angry: for anger rests in the bosom of fools.
Vær ikke hastig i dit Sind til at fortørnes; thi Fortørnelse hviler i Daarers Barm.
10 Say not you, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for you do not inquire wisely concerning this.
Sig ikke: Hvoraf kom det, at de forrige Dage vare bedre end disse? thi du spørger ikke om saadant af Visdom.
11 Wisdom is good with an inheritance: and by it there is profit to them that see the sun.
Visdom er god som et Arvegods, ja bedre for dem, som skue Solen;
12 For wisdom is a defense, and money is a defense: but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom gives life to them that have it.
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 work of God: for who can make that straight, which he has made crooked?
Se Guds Gerning; thi hvo kan gøre det lige, som han gør kroget?
14 In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: God also has set the one over against the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him.
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 All things have I seen in the days of my vanity: there is a just man that perishes in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongs his life 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 righteous over much; neither make yourself over wise: why should you destroy yourself?
Vær ikke alt for retfærdig, og te dig ikke overvættes viis; hvorfor vil du ødelægge dig selv?
17 Be not over much wicked, neither be you foolish: why should you die before your time?
Vær ikke alt for uretfærdig, og vær ikke en Daare; hvorfor skulde du dø i Utide?
18 It is good that you should take hold of this; yes, also from this withdraw not your hand: for he that fears God shall come forth of them all.
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 strengthens the wise more than ten mighty men which are in the city.
Visdom styrker en viis mere end ti vældige, som ere i en Stad.
20 For there is not a just man on earth, that does good, and sins not.
Thi der er ikke et Menneske retfærdigt paa Jorden, som gør godt og ikke synder.
21 Also take no heed to all words that are spoken; lest you hear your servant curse you:
Læg ikke heller paa dit Hjerte alle de Ord, som man siger, at du ikke skal høre din Tjener forbande dig.
22 For oftentimes also your own heart knows that you yourself likewise have cursed others.
Thi dit Hjerte ved ogsaa de mange Gange, da du selv har forbandet andre.
23 All this have I proved by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.
Alt det har jeg forsøgt med Visdommen; jeg sagde: Jeg vil opnaa Visdom, men den forblev langt fra mig.
24 That which is far off, and exceeding deep, who can find it out?
Det, som er til, er langt borte og dybt, dybt! hvo kan finde det?
25 I applied my heart to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and the reason of things, and to know the wickedness of folly, even of foolishness and madness:
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 find more bitter than death the woman, whose heart is snares and nets, and her hands as bands: whoever pleases God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken 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 Behold, this have I found, says the preacher, counting one by one, to 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 seeks, but I find not: one man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I 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 See, this only have I found, that God has made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.
Dog se, dette har jeg fundet, at Gud skabte Mennesket ret; men de søge mange Spidsfindigheder.
