Ecclesiastes 9
1 For I gave my mind to all this, even to search out all this, that the righteous and the wise and their works are in the hand of God, and yet neither his love nor hatred doth any man know. All is before them.
Ja, alt dette lagde jeg mig på Sinde, og mit hjerte indså det alt sammen: at de retfærdige og de vise og deres Gerninger er i Guds Hånd. Hverken om Kærlighed eller Had kan Menneskene vide noget; alt, hvad der er dem for Øje, er Tomhed.
2 All [[cometh to them]] as to all. There is one event to the righteous and to the wicked; to the good, to the clean, and to the unclean; to him that sacrificeth, and to him that sacrificeth not; as is the good, so is the sinner; he that sweareth, as he that feareth an oath.
Thi alle får en og samme Skæbne, retfærdig og gudløs, god og ond, ren og uren, den, som ofrer, og den, som ikke ofrer; det går den gode som Synderen, den sværgende som den, der skyr at sværge.
3 This is an evil among all things which take place under the sun, that there is one event to all; therefore also the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their heart while they live, and afterward they go down to the dead.
Det er det, der er Fejlen ved alt, hvad der sker under Solen, at alle får en og samme Skæbne; derfor er også Menneskebørnenes Hjerte fuldt af ondt, og der er Dårskab i deres Hjerte Livet igennem, og tilsidst må de ned til de døde.
4 For who is there that is excepted? With all the living there is hope; for a living dog is better than a dead lion.
Kun for den, der hører til de levendes Flok, er der Håb; thi levende Hund er bedre faren end død Løve.
5 For the living know that they shall die; but the dead know not any thing, and there is no more to them any advantage, for their memory is forgotten.
Thi de levende ved dog, at de skal dø, men de døde ved ingenting, og Løn har de ikke mere i Vente; thi Mindet om dem slettes ud.
6 Their love also, and their hatred, and their envy, is now perished; neither have they a portion any more for ever in any thing which taketh place under the sun.
Både deres Kærlighed og deres Had og deres Misundelse er forlængst borte, og de får ingen Sinde mere Lod og Del i noget af det, som sker under Solen.
7 Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a cheerful heart; for long since hath God been pleased with thy works.
Så spis da dit Brød med Glæde, drik vel til Mode din Vin; thi din Id har Gud for længst kendt god.
8 Let thy garments be always white, and let not fragrant oil be wanting upon thy head.
Dine Klæder være altid hvide, lad Olie ikke savnes på dit Hoved!
9 Enjoy life with the wife whom thou lovest, all the days of thy vain life which he hath given thee under the sun, all thy vain days. For this is thy portion in life, and in thy labor with which thou weariest thyself under the sun.
Nyd Livet med den Kvinde, du elsker, alle dine tomme Levedage, som gives dig under Solen; thi det er din Lod og Del af Livet og af den Flid, du gør dig under Solen.
10 Whatever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might! For there is no work nor device nor knowledge nor wisdom in the under-world, whither thou goest. (Sheol h7585)
Gør efter Evne alt, hvad din Hånd finder Styrke til; thi der er hverken Virke eller Tanke eller Kundskab eller Visdom i Dødsriget, hvor du stævner hen. (Sheol h7585)
11 I turned and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor yet bread to the wise, nor riches to men of understanding, nor favor to men of knowledge; but time and chance happen to them all.
Og atter så jeg under Solen, at Hurtigløberen ikke er Herre over Løbet eller Heltene over Kampen, ej heller de vise over Brødet, ej heller de kløgtige over Rigdom, ej heller de kloge over Yndest, men alle er de bundet af Tid og Tilfælde.
12 For man knoweth not his time. As fishes that are taken in a destructive net, and as birds that are caught in a snare, so are the sons of men snared in a time of distress, when it falleth suddenly upon them.
Thi et Menneske kender lige så lidt sin Tid som Fisk, der fanges i det slemme Garn, eller Fugle, der hildes i Snaren; ligesom disse fanges Menneskens Børn i Ulykkens Stund, når den brat falder over dem.
13 This also have I seen; even wisdom under the sun, and it seemed great to me.
Også dette Tilfælde af Visdom så jeg under Solen, og det gjorde dybt Indtryk på mig:
14 There was a little city, and few men within it; and a great king came against it, and besieged it, and built great bulwarks against it.
Der var en lille By med få Indbyggere, og mod den kom en stor Konge; han omringede den og byggede høje Volde imod den;
15 Now there was found within it a wise poor man; and he, by his wisdom, delivered the city; yet no man remembered that same poor man.
men der fandtes i Byen en fattig Mand, som var viis, og han frelste den ved sin Visdom. Men ingen mindedes den fattige Mand.
16 Then said I, “Wisdom is better than strength;” and yet the poor man's wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard.
Da sagde jeg: "Visdom er bedre end Styrke, men den fattiges Visdom agtes ringe, og hans Ord høres ikke."
17 The quiet words of the wise are sooner heard than the shouting of a foolish ruler.
Vismænds Ord, der høres i Ro, er bedre end en Herskers Råb iblandt Dårer.
18 Wisdom is better than weapons of war. But one offender destroyeth much good.
Visdom er bedre end Våben, men en eneste Synder kan ødelægge meget godt.
