Prædikeren 7
1 Godt Navn er bedre end ypperlig Salve, Dødsdag bedre end Fødselsdag;
A good name is better than good oil; and the day of death than the day of birth.
2 bedre at gå til et Sørgehus end at gå til et Gildehus; thi hist er alle Menneskers Ende, og de levende bør tage det til Hjerte
[It is] better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the banquet house: since this is the end of every man; and the living man will apply good [warning] to his heart.
3 Bedre Græmmelse end Latter, thi er Minerne mørke, har Hjertet det godt.
Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart will be made better.
4 De vises Hjerte er i Sørgehuset. Tåbernes Hjerte i Glædeshuset.
The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.
5 Bedre at høre på Vismands Skænd end at høre på Tåbers Sang.
[It is] better to hear a reproof of a wise man, than for a man to hear the song of fools.
6 Som Tjørnekvistes Knitren under Gryden er Tåbers Latter; også det er Tomhed.
As the sound of thorns under a caldron, so is the laughter of fools: this is also vanity.
7 Thi uredelig Vinding gør Vismand til Dåre, og Stikpenge ødelægger Hjertet.
for oppression makes a wise man mad, and destroys his noble heart.
8 En Sags Udgang er bedre end dens Indgang, Tålmod er bedre end Hovmod.
The end of a matter is better than the beginning thereof: the patient is better than the high-minded.
9 Vær ikke hastig i dit Sind til at græmmes, thi Græmmelse bor i Tåbers Bryst.
Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger will rest in the bosom of fools.
10 Spørg ikke: "Hvoraf kommer det, at de gamle Dage var bedre end vore?" Thi således spørger du ikke med Visdom.
Say not, What has happened, that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not enquire in wisdom concerning this.
11 Bedre er Visdom end Arv, en Fordel for dem, som skuer Solen;
Wisdom is good with an inheritance: and [there is] an advantage [by it] to them that see the sun.
12 thi Visdom skygger, som Penge skygger, men Kundskabs Fortrin er dette, at Visdom holder sin Mand i Live.
For wisdom in its shadow is as the shadow of silver: and the excellence of the knowledge of wisdom will give life to him that has it.
13 Se på Guds Værk! Hvo kan rette, hvad han har gjort kroget?
Behold the works of God: for who shall be able to straighten him whom God has made crooked?
14 Vær ved godt Mod på den gode Dag og indse på den onde Dag, at Gud skabte denne såvel som hin, for at Mennesket ikke skal finde noget efter sig.
In the day of prosperity live joyfully, and consider in the day of adversity: consider, [I say], God also has caused the one to agree with the other for [this] reason, that man should find nothing after him.
15 Begge Dele så jeg i mine tomme Dage: Der er retfærdige, som omkommer i deres Retfærdighed, og der er gudløse, som lever længe i deres Ondskab.
I have seen all things in the days of my vanity: there is a just man perishing in his justice, and there is an ungodly man remaining in his wickedness.
16 Vær ikke alt for retfærdig og te dig ikke overvættes viis; hvorfor vil du ødelægge dig selv?
Be not very just; neither be very wise: lest thou be confounded.
17 Vær ikke alt for gudløs og vær ingen Dåre; hvorfor vil du dø i Utide?
Be not very wicked; and be not stubborn: lest thou shouldest die before thy time.
18 Det bedste er, at du fastholder det ene og ikke slipper det andet; thi den, der frygter Gud, vil undgå begge Farer.
It is well for thee to hold fast by this; also by this defile not thine hand: for to them that fear God all things shall come forth [well].
19 Visdom gør Vismand stærkere end ti Magthavere i Byen.
Wisdom will help the wise man more than ten mighty men which are in the city.
20 Thi intet Menneske er så retfærdigt på Jorden, at han kun gør gode Gerninger og aldrig synder.
For there is not a righteous man in the earth, who will do good, and not sin
21 Giv ikke Agt på alle de Ord, Folk siger, at du ikke skal høre din Træl forbande dig;
Also take no heed to all the words which ungodly men shall speak; lest thou hear thy servant cursing thee.
22 thi du ved med dig selv, at også du mange Gange har forbandet andre.
For many times he shall trespass against thee, and repeatedly shall he afflict thine heart; for thus also hast thou cursed others.
23 Alt dette ransagede jeg med Visdom; jeg tænkte: "Jeg vil vorde viis." Men Visdom holdt sig langt fra mig;
All these things have I proved in wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.
24 Tingenes Grund er langt borte, så dyb, så dyb; hvem kan finde den?
[That which is] far beyond what was, and a great depth, who shall find it out?
25 Jeg tog mig for at vende min Hu til Kundskab og Granskning og til at søge efter Visdom og sikker Viden og til at kende, at Gudløshed er Tåbelighed, Dårskab Vanvid.
I and my heart went round about to know, and to examine, and to seek wisdom, and the account [of things], and to know the folly and trouble and madness of the ungodly man.
26 Og beskere end Døden fandt jeg Kvinden, thi hun er et Fangegarn; hendes Hjerfe er et Net og hendes Arme Lænker. Den, som er Gud kær, undslipper hende, men Synderen bliver hendes Fange.
And I find her [to be], and I will pronounce [to be] more bitter than death the woman which is a snare, and her heart nets, [who has] a band in her hands: [he that is] good in the sight of God shall be delivered from her; but the sinner shall be caught by her.
27 Se, det fandt jeg ud, sagde Prædikeren, ved at lægge det ene til det andet for at drage min Slutning.
Behold, this have I found, said the Preacher, [seeking] by one at a time to find out the account,
28 Hvad min Sjæl stadig søgte, men ikke fandt, er dette: Een Mand fandt jeg blandt tusind, men en Kvinde fandt jeg ikke i hele Flokken.
which my soul sought after, but I found not: for I have found one man of a thousand; but a woman in all these I have not found.
29 Dog se, det fandt jeg, at Gud har skabt Menneskene, som de bør være; men de har så mange sære Ting for.
But, behold, this have I found, that God made man upright; but they have sought out many devices.
