Ecclesiastes 11

1 Cast your bread upon the waters: for you shall find it after many days.

Kast dit Brød paa Vandet, Thi du faar det igen, gaar end lang Tid hen.

2 Give a portion to seven, and also to eight; for you know not what evil shall be upon the earth.

Del dit Gods i syv otte Dele, thi du ved ej, hvad ondt der kan ske paa Jorden.

3 If the clouds be full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth: and if the tree fall toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree falls, there it shall be.

Er Skyerne fulde af Regn, saa gyder de den ud over Jorden; og falder et Træ mod Syd eller Nord; saa bliver det liggende der, hvor det falder.

4 He that observes the wind shall not sow; and he that regards the clouds shall not reap.

Man faar aldrig saaet, naar man kigger efter Vinden, og aldrig høstet, naar man ser efter Skyerne.

5 As you know not what is the way of the spirit, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child: even so you know not the works of God who makes all.

Som du ikke kender Vindens Vej eller Fostret i Moders Liv, saa kender du ej heller Guds Virke, han, som virker alt.

6 In the morning sow your seed, and in the evening withhold not your hand: for you know not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good.

Saa din Sæd ved Gry og lad Haanden ej hvile ved Kvæld; thi du ved ej, om dette eller hint vil lykkes, eller begge Dele er lige gode.

7 Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun:

Lyset er lifligt, at skue Solen er godt for Øjnene;

8 But if a man live many years, and rejoice in them all; yet let him remember the days of darkness; for they shall be many. All that comes is vanity.

ja, lever et Menneske mange Aar, skal han glæde sig over dem alle og komme Mørkets Dage i Hu, thi af dem er der mange i Vente; alt, hvad der kommer, er Tomhed.

9 Rejoice, O young man, in your youth; and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth, and walk in the ways of your heart, and in the sight of your eyes: but know you, that for all these things God will bring you into judgment.

Glæd dig, Yngling, i din Ungdom, vær vel til Mode i Livets Vaar; gaa, hvor dit Hjerte lyster, og nyd, hvad dit Øje skuer; men vid, at for alle disse Ting skal du kræves til Regnskab af Gud.

10 Therefore remove sorrow from your heart, and put away evil from your flesh: for childhood and youth are vanity.

Slaa Mismod ud af dit Sind, hold Sygdom fjernt fra din Krop; thi Ungdom og Livsgry er Tomhed!