Ecclesiastes 6
1 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is great on men:
Der er et Onde, jeg saa under Solen, og som tynger Menneskene haardt:
2 [There is many] a man to whom God hath given riches, property, and honor, and nothing is wanting for his soul of all that he longeth for: yet God empowereth him not to eat thereof, but a stranger will consume it. This is vanity, and it is an evil disease.
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 If a man were to beget a hundred children, and live many years, so that the days of his years were many, and his soul were not satisfied with what is good, and he have not had even a burial: then do I say, that an untimely birth is better than he.
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 For in vanity it came, and in darkness it departeth, and with darkness will its name be covered.
thi at det kommer, er Tomhed, og det gaar bort i Mørke, og i Mørke dølges dets Navn;
5 Moreover it never saw the sun, and knew nothing: this hath more rest than the other.
og det har hverken set eller kendt Sol; det faar end ikke en Grav; det hviler bedre end han.
6 Yea, though he were to live a thousand years twice told, and had not seen any good— doth not every one go to one place?
Om han saa levede to Gange tusind Aar, men ikke skuede Lykke — mon ikke alle farer sammesteds hen?
7 All the toil of a man is for his mouth; and yet is his desire never filled.
Al Menneskets Flid tjener hans Mund, og dog stilles hans Sult aldrig.
8 For what hath the wise more than the fool? what hath the poor, that knoweth to walk [properly] before the living?
Thi hvad har den vise forud for Taaben, hvad baader det den arme, der ved at vandre for de levendes Øjne?
9 Better is what one seeth with the eyes than the wandering of the desire. Also this is vanity and a torture of the spirit.
Bedre at se med sine Øjne end higende Attraa. Ogsaa det er Tomhed og Jag efter Vind.
10 That which hath been is already called by its name, and it is known that he is a man: and he is not able to contend with him that is mightier than he.
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 there are many things that increase vanity: what advantage [cometh thence] for man?
Thi jo flere Ord der bruges, des større bliver Tomheden, og hvad gavner de Mennesket?
12 For who knoweth what is good for man in this life, the number of the days of his vain life, that he should spend them as a shadow? for who can tell a man what will be after him under the sun?
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?
