Ecclesiastes 8
1 Who is like the wise man? And who knows the interpretation of a thing? A man's wisdom makes his face shine, and the hardness of his face is changed.
Hvo er som den vise, og hvo ved at tyde en Ting? Visdom får et Menneskes Åsyn til at lyse, og Åsynets Hårdhed mildnes.
2 Keep the king's command, because of the oath to God.
Hold en Konges Bud! Men drejer det sig om en Gudsed, så forhast dig ikke.
3 Do not be hasty to go out of his presence. Do not persist in an evil thing, for he does whatever pleases him,
Gå bort fra hans Åsyn og bliv ikke stående, når Sagen står slet; thi han kan gøre alt, hvad han vil.
4 for the king's word is supreme. Who can say to him, "What are you doing?"
Thi en Konges Ord er Magtsprog, og hvo kan sige til ham: "Hvad gør du?"
5 Whoever keeps the commandment shall not come to harm, and his wise heart will know the time and procedure.
Den, som holder Budet, skal ikke mærke til noget ondt, og Dommens Tid skal den vises Hjerte kende.
6 For there is a time and procedure for every purpose, although the misery of man is heavy on him.
Thi enhver Ting har sin Tid og sin Dom, men det er et tyngende Onde for Mennesket,
7 For he doesn't know that which will be; for who can tell him how it will be?
at han ikke ved, hvad der vil ske; thi hvo kan sige ham hvorledes Fremtiden bliver?
8 There is no man who has power over the spirit to contain the spirit; neither does he have power over the day of death. There is no discharge in war; neither shall wickedness deliver those who practice it.
Som intet Menneske er Herre over Vinden, så han kan spærre den inde, er ingen Herre over Dødens Dag; Krig kan man ikke unddrage sig, og Gudløshed frier ikke sin Mand.
9 All this have I seen, and applied my mind to every work that is done under the sun. There is a time in which one man has power over another to his hurt.
Alt dette så jeg, idet jeg rettede min Tanke på hver en Idræt, som øves under Solen: Der er Tider, da det ene Menneske hersker over det andet til hans Ulykke.
10 So I saw the wicked buried. Indeed they came also from the holy place. They went and were praised in the city where they did this. This also is vanity.
Ligeledes så jeg gudløse stedes til Hvile, medens de, som gjorde det rette, måtte gå bort fra det hellige Sted og glemtes i Byen. Også det er Tomhed.
11 Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.
Fordi den onde Gerning ikke i Hast rammes af Dommen får Menneskenes Hjerte Mod til at gøre det onde,
12 Though a sinner commits crimes a hundred times, and lives long, yet surely I know that it will be better with those who fear God, who are reverent before him.
eftersom Synderen gør det onde fra første Færd og dog lever længe; men også ved jeg, at det skal gå dem godt, som frygter Gud, fordi de frygter for hans Åsyn,
13 But it shall not be well with the wicked, neither shall he lengthen days like a shadow; because he doesn't fear God.
og at det ikke skal gå de gudløse godt, og at deres Levetid ikke skal længes som Skyggen, fordi de ikke frygter for Guds Åsyn.
14 There is a vanity which is done on the earth, that there are righteous men to whom it happens according to the work of the wicked. Again, there are wicked men to whom it happens according to the work of the righteous. I said that this also is vanity.
Der er en Tomhed, som forekommer på Jorden: at der findes retfærdige, hvem det går, som om de havde gjort de gudløses Gerninger, og gudløse, hvem det går som om de havde gjort de retfærdiges Gerninger. Jeg sagde: Også det er Tomhed.
15 Then I commended mirth, because a man has no better thing under the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be joyful: for that will accompany him in his labor all the days of his life which God has given him under the sun.
Og jeg priste Glæden, fordi Mennesket ikke har andet Gode under Solen end at spise og drikke og være glad, og at dette ledsager ham under hans Flid i de Levedage, Gud giver ham under Solen.
16 When I applied my heart to know wisdom, and to see the business that is done on the earth (for also there is that neither day nor night sees sleep with his eyes),
Hver Gang jeg vendte min Hu til at nemme Visdom og granske det Slid, som går for sig på Jorden - thi hverken Dag eller Nat får man Søvn i Øjnene -
17 then I saw all the work of God, that man can't find out the work that is done under the sun, because however much a man labors to seek it out, yet he won't find it. Yes even though a wise man thinks he can comprehend it, he won't be able to find it.
da indså jeg, at det er således med alt Guds Værk, at Mennesket ikke kan udgrunde det, som sker under Solen; thi trods al den Flid, et Menneske gør sig med at søge, kan han ikke udgrunde det; og selv om den vise mener at kende det, kan han ikke udgrunde det.
