Prædikeren 5

1 Va'r din fod, når du går til Guds Hus! At komme for at høre er bedre, end at Dårer bringer Slagtoffer, thi de har ikke Forstand til andet end at gøre ondt.

Watch thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be near to hearken [to his will], more than to give the sacrifice of fools; for they consider not that they do evil [to themselves].

2 Lad ikke din Mund løbe eller dit Hjerte haste med at udtale et Ord for Guds Åsyn; thi Gud er i Himmelen og du på Jorden, derfor skal dine Ord være få.

Suffer not thy mouth to be rash, and let thy heart not be hasty to utter any word before God; for God is in the heavens, and thou art upon the earth: therefore let thy words be few.

3 Thi meget Slid giver Drømme, og mange Ord giver Dåretale.

For a dream cometh through being much employed [with something], and the voice of a fool cometh with a multitude of words.

4 Når du giver Gud et Løfte, så tøv ikke med at holde det! Thi der er ingen Glæde ved Dårer. Hvad du lover, skal du holde.

When thou makest a vow unto God, do not delay to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in such fools: that which thou hast vowed must thou pay.

5 Det er bedre, at du ikke lover, end at du lover uden at holde.

It is better that thou shouldst not vow, than that thou shouldst vow and not pay.

6 Lad ikke din Mund bringe Skyld over dit Legeme og sig ikke til Guds Sendebud, at det var af Vanvare! Hvorfor skal Gud vredes over din Tale og nedbryde dine Hænders Værk?

Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy body to sin; and say thou not before the messenger, that it was an error: wherefore should God be angry because of thy voice, and destroy the work of thy hands?

7 Thi af mange Drømme og Ord kommer mange Skuffelser; nej, frygt Gud!

For in the multitude of dreams and vanities there are also many words; but rather fear thou God.

8 Når du ser den fattige undertrykt og Lov og Ret krænket på din Egn, så undre dig ikke over den Ting; thi på den høje vogter en højere, og andre endnu højere vogter på dem begge.

If thou see the oppression of the poor, and violence done to justice and righteousness in a province, do not feel astounded at the matter; for one that is high watcheth over the high; and over them, the highest Power.

9 Dog, en Fordel for et Land er det i alt Fald, at der er en Konge over dyrket Jord.

But the advantage of a land in all things is, a king who is subject to the country.

10 Den, der elsker Sølv, mættes aldrig af Sølv, og den, der elsker Rigdom, mættes aldrig af Vinding. Også det er Tomhed.

He that loveth money will never be satisfied with money; nor he that loveth abundance, with any increase. Also this is vanity.

11 Jo mere Gods, des flere til at fortære det, og hvad Gavn har Ejeren da deraf, ud over at hans Øjne ser det?

When prosperity increaseth, those that consume it [likewise] increase: and what advantage is there to its owner, saving to see [it] with his eyes?

12 Sød er Arbejderens Søvn, hvad enten han har lidt eller meget at spise; men den riges Overflod giver ikke ham Lov til at sove.

Sweet is the sleep of the laboring man, whether he eat little or much; but the overabundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep.

13 Der er et slemt Onde, som jeg så under Solen: Rigdom gemt hen af sin Ejermand til hans Ulykke;

There is a sore evil which I have seen under the sun, [namely, ] riches reserved for their owner to his own hurt.

14 går Rigdommen tabt ved et Uheld, og han har avlet en Søn, så bliver der intet til ham.

And these riches are lost through an unfortunate event; and he begetteth a son, and hath not the least in his hand:

15 Som han udgik af sin Moders Liv, skal han atter gå bort, lige så nøgen som han kom, og ved sin Flid vinder han intet, han kan tage med sig.

As he came forth out of his mother's womb, naked will he return to go as he came; and not the least will he carry off for his toil, which he might take away with him.

16 Også det er et slemt Onde: ganske som han kom, går han bort, og hvad Vinding har han så af, at han gør sig Flid hen i Vejret?

And also this is a sore evil, that in all points as he came, so must he go: and what profit hath he that hath toiled for the wind?

17 Og dertil kommer et helt Liv i Mørke, Sorg og stor Kvide, Sygdom og Kummer.

All his days also had he to eat in darkness, and hath had much vexation and wrath with his sickness.

18 Se, hvad der efter mit Skøn er godt og smukt, det er at spise og drikke og nyde det gode under al den Flid, man gør sig under Solen, alle de Levedage Gud giver en; thi det er den Del, man har;

Behold, what I have truly seen as a good thing, that it is fitting to eat and to drink, and to enjoy the good of all one's toil that he taketh under the sun the number of the days of his life, which God hath given him; for this is his portion.

19 og hver Gang Gud giver et Menneske Rigdom og Gods og sætter ham i Stand til at nyde det, og tage sin Del og glæde sig under sin Flid, da er det en Guds Gave;

Also every man to whom God hath given riches and property, and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his toil— this is the gift of God.

20 thi da tænker han ikke stort på sine Levedage, idet Gud lader ham være optaget af sit Hjertes Glæde.

Let him then remember, that the days of his life are not many, that God hath answered him with the joy of his heart.