Prædikeren 2
1 Jeg sagde ved mig selv: "Vel, jeg vil prøve med Glæde; så nyd da det gode!" Men se, også det var Tomhed.
I said in my heart, Come now, I will prove thee with mirth, and behold thou good: and, behold, this is also vanity.
2 Om Latteren sagde jeg: "Dårskab!" og om Glæden: "Hvad gavner den?"
I said to laughter, Madness: and to mirth, Why doest thou this:
3 Jeg kom på den Tanke at kvæge mit Legeme med Vin, medens mit Hjerte dog rådede med Visdom, og at slå mig på Dårskab, indtil jeg så, hvad det båder Menneskens Børn at gøre under Himmelen, det Dagetal de lever.
And I examined whether my heart would excite my flesh as [with] wine, (though my heart guided [me] in wisdom, ) and [I desired] to lay hold of mirth, until I should see of what kind is the good to the sons of men, which they should do under the sun all the days of their life.
4 Jeg fuldbyrdede store Værker, byggede mig Huse, plantede mig Vingårde,
I enlarged my work; I built me houses; I planted me vineyards.
5 anlagde mig Haver og Lunde og plantede alle Hånde Frugttræer deri,
I made me gardens and orchards, and planted in them every kind of fruit-tree.
6 anlagde mig Damme til at vande en Skov i Opvækst;
I made me pools of water, to water from them the timber-bearing wood.
7 jeg købte Trælle og Trælkvinder, og jeg havde hjemmefødte Trælle; også Kvæg, Hornkvæg og Småkvæg, havde jeg i større Måder end nogen af dem, der før mig havde været i Jerusalem;
I got servants and maidens, and servants were born to me in the house: also I had abundant possession of flocks and herds, beyond all who were before me in Jerusalem.
8 jeg samlede mig også Sølv og Guld, Skatte fra Konger og Lande; jeg tog mig Sangere og Sangerinder og Menneskens Børns Lyst: Hustru og Hustruer.
Moreover I collected for myself both silver and gold also, and the peculiar treasures of kings and provinces: I procured me singing men and singing women, and delights of the sons of men, a butler and female cupbearers.
9 Og jeg blev stor, større end nogen af dem, der før mig havde været i Jerusalem; desuden blev min Visdom hos mig.
So I became great, and advanced beyond all that were before in Jerusalem: also my wisdom was established to me.
10 Intet, som mine Øjne attråede, unddrog jeg dem; jeg nægtede ikke mit Hjerte nogen Glæde thi mit Hjerte havde Glæde af al min Flid, og deri lå Lønnen for al min Flid.
And whatever mine eyes desired, I withheld not from them, I withheld not my heart from all my mirth: for my heart rejoiced in all my labour; and this was my portion of all my labour.
11 Men da jeg overskuede alt, hvad mine Hænder havde virket, og den Flid, det havde kostet mig, se, da var det alt sammen Tomhed og Jag efter Vind, og der er ingen Vinding under Solen.
And I looked on all my works which my hands had wrought, and on my labour which I laboured to perform: and behold, all was vanity and waywardness of spirit, and there is no advantage under the sun.
12 Thi hvad gør det Menneske, som kommer efter Kongen? Det samme, som tilforn er gjort? Jeg gav mig da til at sammenligne Visdom med Dårskab og Tåbelighed.
Then I looked on to see wisdom, and madness, and folly: for who is the man who will follow after counsel, in all things where in he employs it?
13 Jeg så, at Visdom har samme Fortrin for Tåbelighed som Lys for Mørke:
And I saw that wisdom excels folly, as much as light excels darkness.
14 Den vise har Øjne i Hovedet, men Tåben vandrer i Mørke. Men jeg skønnede også, at en og samme Skæbne rammer begge.
The wise man's eyes are in his head; but the fool walks in darkness: and I perceived, even I, that one event shall happen to them all.
15 Da sagde jeg ved mig selv: "Tåbens Skæbne rammer også mig; hvad har jeg da for, at jeg er blevet overvættes viis?" Og jeg sagde ved mig selv, at også det er Tomhed;
And I said in my heart, As the event of the fool is, so shall it be to me, even to me: and to what purpose have I gained wisdom? I said moreover in my heart, This is also vanity, because the fool speaks of his abundance.
16 thi den vises Minde er lige sålidt evigt som Tåbens, fordi nu engang alt glemmes i kommende Dage; ak! den vise må dø så godt som Tåben.
For there is no remembrance of the wise man with the fool for ever; forasmuch as now [in] the coming days all things are forgotten: and how shall the wise man die with the fool?
17 Da blev jeg led ved Livet, thi ilde tyktes mig det, som sker under Solen; thi det er alt sammen Tomhed og Jag efter Vind.
So I hated life; because the work that was wrought under the sun was evil before me: for all is vanity and waywardness of spirit.
18 Og jeg blev led ved al den Flid, jeg, har gjort mig under Solen, fordi jeg må efterlade mit Værk til den, som kommer efter mig.
And I hated the whole of my labour which I took under the sun; because I must leave it to the man who will come after me.
19 Hvo ved, om det bliver en Vismand eller en Tåbe? Og dog skal han råde over alt, hvad jeg med Flid og Visdom vandt under Solen. Også det er Tomhed.
And who knows whether he will be a wise [man] or a fool? and whether he will have power over all my labour in which I laboured, and wherein I grew wise under the sun? this is also vanity.
20 Og jeg var ved at fortvivle over al den Flid, jeg har gjort mig under Solen;
so I went about to dismiss from my heart all my labour wherein I had laboured under the sun.
21 thi der har et Menneske gjort sig. Flid med Visdom, Kundskab og Dygtighed, og så må han overlade sit Eje til et Menneske, som ikke har lagt Flid derpå. Også det er Tomhed og et stort Onde.
For there is [such] a man that his labour is in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in fortitude; [yet] this man shall give his portion to one who has not laboured therein. This is also vanity and great evil.
22 Thi hvad får et Menneske for al sin Flid og sit Hjertes Higen, som han gør sig Flid med under Solen?
For it happens to a man in all his labour, and in the purpose of his heart wherein he labours under the sun.
23 Alle hans Dage er jo Lidelse, og hans Slid er Græmmelse; end ikke om Natten finder hans Hjerte Hvile. Også det er Tomhed.
For all his days [are days] of sorrows, and vexation of spirit is his; in the night also his heart rests not. This is also vanity.
24 Intet er bedre for et Menneske end at spise og drikke og give sin Sjæl gode Dage ved sin Flid. Og det skønnede jeg, at også det kommer fra Guds Hånd.
A man has nothing [really] good to eat, and to drink, and to shew his soul [as] good in his trouble. This also I saw, that it is from the hand of God.
25 Thi hvo kan spise eller drikke uden hans Vilje?
For who shall eat, or who shall drink, without him?
26 Thi det Menneske, som er godt i hans Øjne, giver han Visdom, Kundskab og Glæde; men den, som synder, giver han Slid med at samle og ophobe for så at give det til en, som er god i Guds Øjne. Også det er Tomhed og Jag efter Vind.
For [God] has given to the man who is good in his sight, wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but he has given to the sinner trouble, to add and to heap up, that he may give to him that is good before God; for this is also vanity and waywardness of spirit.
