Prædikeren 1
1 Ord af Prædikeren, Davids Søn, Konge i Jerusalem.
The words of Ecclesiastes, the son of David, the king of Jerusalem.
2 Endeløs Tomhed, sagde Prædikeren, endeløs Tomhed, alt er Tomhed!
Ecclesiastes said: Vanity of vanities! Vanity of vanities, and all is vanity!
3 Hvad Vinding har Mennesket af al den Flid, han gør sig under Solen?
What more does a man have from all his labor, as he labors under the sun?
4 Slægt går, og Slægt kommer, men Jorden står til evig Tid.
A generation passes away, and a generation arrives. But the earth stands forever.
5 Sol står op, og Sol går ned og haster igen til sin Opgangs Sted.
The sun rises and sets; it returns to its place, and from there, being born again,
6 Vinden går mod Syd og drejer mod Nord, den drejer atter og atter og vender tilbage til samme Kredsløb.
it circles through the south, and arcs toward the north. The spirit continues on, illuminating everything in its circuit, and turning again in its cycle.
7 Alle Bække løber i Havet, men Havet bliver ikke fuldt; det Sted, til hvilket Bækkene løber, did bliver de ved at løbe.
All rivers enter into the sea, and the sea does not overflow. To the place from which the rivers go out, they return, so that they may flow again.
8 Alting slider sig træt; Mand hører ikke op med at tale, Øjet bliver ikke mæt af at se, Øret ej fuldt af at høre.
Such things are difficult; man is not able to explain them with words. The eye is not satisfied by seeing, nor is the ear fulfilled by hearing.
9 Det, der kommer, er det, der var, det, der sker, er det, der skete; der er slet intet nyt under Solen.
What is it that has existed? The same shall exist in the future. What is it that has been done? The same shall continue to be done.
10 Kommer der noget, om hvilket man siger: "Se, her er da noget nyt!"det har dog for længst været til i Tiderne forud for os
There is nothing new under the sun. Neither is anyone able to say: “Behold, this is new!” For it has already been brought forth in the ages that were before us.
11 Ej mindes de svundne Slægter, og de ny, som kommer engang, skal ej heller mindes af dem, som kommer senere hen.
There is no remembrance of the former things. Indeed, neither shall there be any record of past things in the future, for those who will exist at the very end.
12 Jeg, Prædikeren, var Konge over Israel i Jerusalem.
I, Ecclesiastes, was king of Israel at Jerusalem.
13 Jeg vendte min Hu til at ransage og med Visdom udgranske alt, hvad der sker under Himmelen; det er et ondt Slid, som Gud har givet Menneskens Børn at slide med.
And I was determined in my mind to seek and to investigate wisely, concerning all that is done under the sun. God has given this very difficult task to the sons of men, so that they may be occupied by it.
14 Jeg så alt, hvad der sker under Solen, og se, det er alt sammen Tomhed og Jag efter Vind.
I have seen all that is done under the sun, and behold: all is emptiness and an affliction of the spirit.
15 Kroget kan ej blive lige, og halvt kan ej blive helt.
The perverse are unwilling to be corrected, and the number of the foolish is boundless.
16 Jeg tænkte ved mig selv: "Se, jeg har vundet større og rigere Visdom end alle de, der før mig var over Jerusalem, og mit Hjerte har skuet Visdom og Kundskab i Fylde."
I have spoken in my heart, saying: “Behold, I have achieved greatness, and I have surpassed all the wise who were before me in Jerusalem.” And my mind has contemplated many things wisely, and I have learned.
17 Jeg vendte min Hu til at fatte, hvad der er Visdom og Kundskab, og hvad der er Dårskab og Tåbelighed; jeg skønnede, at også det er Jag efter Vind.
And I have dedicated my heart, so that I may know prudence and doctrine, and also error and foolishness. Yet I recognize that, in these things also, there is hardship, and affliction of the spirit.
18 Thi megen Visdom megen Græmmelse, øget Kundskab øget Smerte.
Because of this, with much wisdom there is also much anger. And whoever adds knowledge, also adds hardship.
