Ecclesiastes 10
1 [A few] dead flies in [a bottle of] perfume cause [all] the perfume to stink. Similarly [SIM], a small amount of acting foolishly can have a greater effect than acting wisely.
Døde Fluer gør Salveblanderens Olie stinkende, lidt Dårskab ødelægger Visdommens Værd.
2 If people think sensibly, it will lead them to do what is right; if they think foolishly, it causes them to do what is wrong.
Den vise har sin Forstand tilhøjre, Tåben har sin til venstre,
3 Even while foolish people walk along the road, they show that they do not have good sense; they show everyone that they are not wise.
Hvor Dåren end færdes, svigter hans Forstand, og han røber for alle, at han er en Dåre.
4 Do not quit working for a ruler when he is angry with you; if you remain calm, he will [probably] stop being angry.
Når en Herskers Vrede rejser sig mod dig, forlad ikke derfor din Plads; thi Sagtmodighed hindrer store Synder.
5 There is something [else] that I have seen here on this earth, something that rulers sometimes do that is wrong/inappropriate:
Der er et Onde, jeg så under Solen; det ser ud som et Misgreb af ham, som har Magten:
6 They appoint foolish people to have important positions, while they appoint rich [people] to have unimportant positions.
Dårskab sættes i Højsædet, nederst sidder de rige.
7 They allow slaves [to ride] on horses [like rich people usually do], [but] they force officials to walk [like slaves usually do].
Trælle så jeg højt til Hest og Høvdinger til Fods som Trælle.
8 [It is possible that] those who dig pits will fall into one of those pits. [It is possible that] someone who tears down a wall will be bitten by a snake [that is in that wall].
Den, som graver en Grav, falder selv deri; den, som nedbryder en Mur, ham bider en Slange;
9 If you work in a quarry, [it is possible that] a stone [will fall on you and] injure you. [It is possible that] men who split logs will be injured by one of those logs.
den, som bryder Sten, kan såre sig på dem; den, som kløver Træ, er i Fare.
10 If your axe is not sharp [DOU], you will need to work harder [to cut down a tree], but by being wise, you will succeed.
Når Øksen er sløv og dens Æg ej hvæsses, må Kraft lægges i; men den dygtiges Fortrin er Visdom.
11 If a snake bites a man before he charms/tames it, his ability to charm snakes will not benefit him.
Bider en Slange, før den besværges, har Besværgeren ingen Gavn af sin Kunst.
12 Wise people say [MTY] what is sensible, and because of that, people honor them; but foolish people are destroyed by what they say [MTY].
Ord fra Vismands Mund vinder Yndest, en Dåres Læber bringer ham Våde;
13 When foolish people start to talk, they say things that are foolish, and they end by saying things that are both wicked and foolish.
hans Tale begynder med Dårskab og ender med den værste Galskab.
14 They talk (too much/without ceasing). None of us knows what will happen in the future, or what will happen after we die.
Tåben bruger mange Ord. Ej ved Mennesket, hvad der skal ske; hvad der efter hans Død skal ske, hvo siger ham det?
15 Foolish people become [so] exhausted by the work that they do that they are unable to find the road to their town/homes.
Dårens Flid gør ham træt, thi end ikke til Bys ved han Vej.
16 Terrible things will happen to the people of a nation whose ruler is a foolish young man, and whose [other] leaders continually eat, all day long, every day.
Ve dig, du Land, hvis Konge er en Dreng og hvis Fyrster holder Gilde ved Gry.
17 [But] a nation will prosper if its ruler is from a (noble/well-educated) family, and if its [other] leaders feast [only] at the proper times, and [if they eat and drink only] to be strong, not to become drunk.
Held dig; du Land, hvis Konge er ædelbåren, hvis Fyrster holder Gilde til sømmelig Tid som Mænd og ikke som drankere.
18 Some men are very lazy [and do not repair the rafters], with the result that the rafters sag [and collapse]; and if they do not repair the roof, water will leak into the house [when it rains].
Ved Ladhed synker Bjælkelaget; når Hænderne slappes, drypper det i Huset.
19 Eating food and drinking wine causes us to laugh and be happy, [but] we are able to enjoy those things only if we have money [to buy them].
Til Morskab holder man Gæstebud, og Vin gør de levende glade; men Penge skaffer alt til Veje.
20 Do not even think about cursing the king, or cursing rich [people, even] when you are [alone] in your bedroom, because [it is possible that] a little bird will hear [what you are saying], [and] tell those people what you said [about them].
End ikke i din Tanke må du bande en Konge, end ikke i dit Sovekammer en, som er rig; thi Himlens Fugle kan udsprede Ordet, de vingede røbe, hvad du siger.
