Ecclesiastes 1
1 The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.
Ord af Prædikeren, Davids Søn, Konge i Jerusalem.
2 Vanity of vanities, says the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.
Endeløs Tomhed, sagde Prædikeren, endeløs Tomhed, alt er Tomhed!
3 What profit has a man of all his labor which he takes under the sun?
Hvad Vinding har Mennesket af al den Flid, han gør sig under Solen?
4 One generation passes away, and another generation comes: but the earth stays for ever.
Slægt gaar, og Slægt kommer, men Jorden staar til evig Tid.
5 The sun also rises, and the sun goes down, and hastens to his place where he arose.
Sol staar op, og Sol gaar ned og haster igen til sin Opgangs Sted.
6 The wind goes toward the south, and turns about to the north; it whirls about continually, and the wind returns again according 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 is not full; to the place from where the rivers come, thither they return 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 full of labor; man cannot utter it: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor 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 The thing that has been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.
Det, der kommer, er det, der var, det, der sker, er det, der skete; der er slet intet nyt under Solen.
10 Is there any thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it has been already of old time, which was 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; neither shall there be any remembrance of things that are to come with those that shall come after.
Ej mindes de svundne Slægter, og de ny, som kommer engang, skal ej heller mindes af dem, som kommer senere hen.
12 I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem.
Jeg, Prædikeren, var Konge over Israel i Jerusalem.
13 And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven: this sore travail has God given to the sons of man to be exercised therewith.
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 the works 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 That which is crooked cannot be made straight: and that which is wanting cannot be numbered.
Kroget kan ej blive lige, og halvt kan ej blive helt.
16 I communed with my own heart, saying, See, I am come to great estate, and have gotten more wisdom than all they that have been before me in Jerusalem: yes, my heart had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.
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 gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is 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 For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increases knowledge increases sorrow.
Thi megen Visdom megen Græmmelse, øget Kundskab øget Smerte.
