Predikerens 4
1 Fremdeles så jeg alle de voldsgjerninger som skjer under solen; jeg så de undertryktes gråt - det var ingen som trøstet dem; jeg så voldsmennene bruke makt mot dem, og det var ingen som trøstet dem.
I thought some more about all the suffering that people are caused to experience on the earth [MTY]. I saw the tears of people who were (oppressed/treated cruelly) and who had no one to comfort/encourage them. Those who oppressed them had power, and there was absolutely no one who was able to comfort those who were being oppressed.
2 Da priste jeg de døde, de som allerede hadde fått dø, lykkelige fremfor de levende, de som ennu var i live,
[So] I thought that those who are already dead are more fortunate than those who are still alive.
3 men fremfor dem begge priste jeg lykkelig den som ennu ikke er til, som ikke har sett de onde gjerninger som skjer under solen.
And those who have not been born yet are more fortunate than those who are still alive and those who have died, [because] those who have not been born have not seen all the evil things that are done on the earth.
4 Og jeg så at alt strev og all dyktighet i arbeid har sin grunn i at den enes ærgjerrighet er større enn den andres, også det er tomhet og jag efter vind.
I also thought about all the hard work that people do and the skills that they have. And I thought about how they compete with each other because they are envious of others, [and I concluded that] this also is something that is not accomplishing anything useful, [like] chasing the wind.
5 Dåren legger hendene i fanget og tærer på sitt eget kjøtt.
Foolish people [refuse to work]; they sit idly, with their hands folded, [and do not work]. [So] they ruin themselves.
6 Bedre er en håndfull ro enn begge never fulle av strev og jag efter vind.
[So I say], “It is better to be content with not having much money, than to work very hard and try to get a lot of money, which is [as useless as] chasing the wind.”
7 Og ennu mere tomhet blev jeg var under solen:
I thought about something else that happens on the earth [MTY] that seems senseless.
8 Stundom står en mann alene og har ingen annen med sig, hverken sønn eller bror, og allikevel er det ingen ende på alt hans strev, og hans øine blir ikke mette av rikdom. Men hvem strever jeg for og nekter mig selv det som godt er? Også det er tomhet, og en ond plage er det.
There are men who live alone; they do not have a wife or children or any brothers living with them; every day they work [very hard], without stopping, to get a lot of money, but they are never satisfied with the things that they have. They never ask [themselves], “Why am I working very hard to earn more money? Why am I not doing things that would cause me to be happy?” What they do also seems senseless.
9 Bedre å være to enn én, for de har god lønn for sitt strev;
Having someone [work] with you is better than being by yourself [all the time]. If you have a friend, he can help you to do your work.
10 om de faller, kan den ene reise sin stallbror op; men stakkars den som er alene, for faller han, har han ingen til å reise sig op!
If you fall down, he can help you get up again. But if you fall down when you are alone, it will be difficult for you, because there will be no one to help you stand up.
11 Likeledes når to ligger sammen, så blir de varme; men hvorledes kan den som ligger alene, bli varm?
Similarly, if two people sleep together, they can keep each other warm. But someone who sleeps alone will certainly not [RHQ] be warm.
12 Og om nogen kan vinne over den som er alene, så kan to holde stand mot ham, og en tredobbelt tråd sønderrives ikke så snart.
Someone who is alone can easily be attacked and defeated by another person, but two people can help each other and (resist/defend themselves against) someone who attacks them. [Three people can defend themselves even more easily], [like] a rope that is made from three cords is harder to break [than a rope made from two cords].
13 Bedre å være en fattig og vis ungdom enn en gammel dåre av en konge, som ikke mere har forstand nok til å la sig advare;
A young man who is poor but wise is a better person than a foolish old king who refuses to pay attention when people try to give him good advice.
14 for fra fengslet kommer den ene ut og blir konge; den andre blir fattig, enda han er født i sitt kongedømme.
It is possible for a young man like that to succeed and some day become king, even if his parents were poor or even if he was in prison some of the time.
15 Jeg så alle de levende som ferdes under solen, følge med den unge mann, han den nye, som skulde trede i den gamles sted.
But then some other young man becomes king, and everyone (starts to support/is pleased with) him.
16 Det var ingen ende på alt det folk han var fører for. Allikevel har efterkommerne ingen glede av ham, for også dette er tomhet og jag efter vind.
Large crowds of people crowd around him. But after a few years, they will reject him, [too]. So it is all senseless, [like] chasing after the wind.
