Ecclesiastes 4
1 Then again, I, considered all the oppressive deeds which were done under the sun, —and lo! the tears of the oppressed, and they have no comforter, and, on the side of their oppressing, is power, and they have no comforter.
Fremdeles saa jeg al den Undertrykkelse, som sker under Solen; jeg saa de undertryktes Taarer og ingen trøstede dem; de led Vold af deres Undertrykkeres Haand, og ingen trøstede dem.
2 So, I, pronounced happy the dead, who were, already, dead, —more than the living, who were living, still;
Da priste jeg de døde, som allerede er døde, lykkeligere end de levende, som endnu er i Live;
3 and, as better than both, him who had not yet come into being, —who had not seen the vexatious work, which was done under the sun.
men lykkeligere end begge den, som slet ikke er til, som ikke har set det onde, der sker under Solen.
4 Then saw, I, all the toil and all the skill of the work, that, for this, a man was envied of his neighbour, —even this, was vanity, and a feeding on wind.
Og jeg saa, at al Flid og alt dygtigt Arbejde udspringer af den enes Misundelse mod den anden. Ogsaa det er Tomhed og Jag efter Vind.
5 The dullard, claspeth his hands, and consumeth his own flesh.
Daaren lægger Hænderne i Skødet og æder sig selv op.
6 Better a handful—with quietness, —than both hands, full—with toil, and feeding on wind.
Bedre en Haandfuld Hvile end Hænderne fulde af Flid og Jag efter Vind.
7 Then again, I, looked at a vain thing under the sun: —
Og mere Tomhed saa jeg under Solen.
8 Here is one, without a second, even son or brother, he hath none, yet is there no end to all his toil, even his eye, is not satisfied with riches, —neither [saith he] For whom, am I toiling, and letting my soul want good? Even this, was vanity, yea a vexatious employment, it was!
Mangen staar alene og har ikke nogen ved sin Side, hverken Søn eller Broder, og dog er der ingen Ende paa al hans Flid og hans Øje bliver ikke mæt af Rigdom. Men, for hvis Skyld gør jeg mig Flid og nægter mig enhver Nydelse? Ogsaa det, er Tomhed og ondt Slid.
9 Better are two, than one, —in that they have a good reward for their toil.
To er bedre faren end een, thi de faar god Løn for deres Flid;
10 For, if the one should fall, [the other] would raise up his companion, —but alas! for him who is alone when he falleth, with no second to raise him up!
hvis den ene falder, kan den anden rejse sin Fælle op. Men ve den ensomme! Thi falder han, er der ingen til at rejse ham op.
11 Moreover, if two lie together, then have they warmth, —but how can, one, have warmth?
Og naar to ligger sammen, bliver de varme; men hvorledes kan den ensomme blive varm?
12 And, though an enemy should prevail against one, two, might make a stand before him, —and, a threefold cord, cannot soon be broken.
Og naar nogen kan overvælde den ensomme, saa kan to staa sig imod ham; tretvundet Snor brister ikke i Hast.
13 Better a boy poor and wise, —than a king, old and stupid, who knoweth not how to take warning any longer.
Bedre faren er en fattig Yngling, som er viis, end en gammel Konge, som er en Taabe og ikke mere har Forstand til at lade sig raade.
14 For, out of prison, came he forth to reign, yea, even in his own kingdom, was he born poor.
Thi hin gik ud af Fængselet for at blive Konge, skønt han var født i Fattigdom under den andens Regering.
15 I saw all the living, who were going hither and thither under the sun, —[that they were] with the boy who was to be the second, who was to stand in the other’s place: —
Jeg saa alle, som levede og færdedes under Solen, stille sig ved den Ynglings Side, som skulde træde i Kongens Sted;
16 There was no end to all the people, to all before whom he came, yet, they who should come later, would not rejoice in him, —surely, even this, was vanity, and a feeding on wind.
der var ikke Tal paa alle de Mennesker, han stod i Spidsen for; men heller ikke over ham glæder de senere Slægter sig; nej, ogsaa det er Tomhed og Jag efter Vind.
