Ecclesiastes 2
1 I said in my heart, I will give you joy for a test; so take your pleasure — but it was to no purpose.
Jeg sagde ved mig selv: »Vel, jeg vil prøve med Glæde; saa nyd da det gode!« Men se, ogsaa det var Tomhed.
2 Of laughing I said, It is foolish; and of joy — What use is it?
Om Latteren sagde jeg: »Daarskab!« og om Glæden: »Hvad gavner den?«
3 I made a search with my heart to give pleasure to my flesh with wine, still guiding my heart with wisdom, and to go after foolish things, so that I might see what was good for the sons of men to do under the heavens all the days of their life.
Jeg kom paa den Tanke at kvæge mit Legeme med Vin, medens mit Hjerte dog raadede med Visdom, og at slaa mig paa Daarskab, indtil jeg saa, hvad det baader Menneskens Børn at gøre under Himmelen, det Dagetal de lever.
4 I undertook great works, building myself houses and planting vine-gardens.
Jeg fuldbyrdede store Værker, byggede mig Huse, plantede mig Vingaarde,
5 I made myself gardens and fruit gardens, planting in them fruit-trees of all sorts.
anlagde mig Haver og Lunde og plantede alle Haande Frugttræer deri,
6 I made pools to give water for the woods with their young trees.
anlagde mig Damme til at vande en Skov i Opvækst;
7 I got men-servants and women-servants, and they gave birth to sons and daughters in my house. I had great wealth of herds and flocks, more than all who were in Jerusalem before me.
jeg købte Trælle og Trælkvinder, og jeg havde hjemmefødte Trælle; ogsaa Kvæg, Hornkvæg og Smaakvæg, havde jeg i større Maader end nogen af dem, der før mig havde været i Jerusalem;
8 I got together silver and gold and the wealth of kings and of countries. I got makers of song, male and female; and the delights of the sons of men — girls of all sorts to be my brides.
jeg samlede mig ogsaa Sølv og Guld, Skatte fra Konger og Lande; jeg tog mig Sangere og Sangerinder og Menneskens Børns Lyst: Hustru og Hustruer.
9 And I became great; increasing more than all who had been before me in Jerusalem, and my wisdom was still with me.
Og jeg blev stor, større end nogen af dem, der før mig havde været i Jerusalem; desuden blev min Visdom hos mig.
10 And nothing which was desired by my eyes did I keep from them; I did not keep any joy from my heart, because my heart took pleasure in all my work, and this was my reward.
Intet, som mine Øjne attraaede, unddrog jeg dem; jeg nægtede ikke mit Hjerte nogen Glæde thi mit Hjerte havde Glæde af al min Flid, og deri laa Lønnen for al min Flid.
11 Then I saw all the works which my hands had made, and everything I had been working to do; and I saw that all was to no purpose and desire for wind, and there was no profit under the sun.
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.
12 And I went again in search of wisdom and of foolish ways. What may the man do who comes after the king? The thing which he has done before.
Thi hvad gør det Menneske, som kommer efter Kongen? Det samme, som tilforn er gjort? Jeg gav mig da til at sammenligne Visdom med Daarskab og Taabelighed.
13 Then I saw that wisdom is better than foolish ways — as the light is better than the dark.
Jeg saa, at Visdom har samme Fortrin for Taabelighed som Lys for Mørke:
14 The wise man's eyes are in his head, but the foolish man goes walking in the dark; but still I saw that the same event comes to them all.
Den vise har Øjne i Hovedet, men Taaben vandrer i Mørke. Men jeg skønnede ogsaa, at en og samme Skæbne rammer begge.
15 Then said I in my heart: As it comes to the foolish man, so will it come to me; so why have I been wise overmuch? Then I said in my heart: This again is to no purpose.
Da sagde jeg ved mig selv: »Taabens Skæbne rammer ogsaa mig; hvad har jeg da for, at jeg er blevet overvættes viis?« Og jeg sagde ved mig selv, at ogsaa det er Tomhed;
16 Of the wise man, as of the foolish man, there is no memory for ever, seeing that those who now are will have gone from memory in the days to come. See how death comes to the wise as to the foolish!
thi den vises Minde er lige saa lidt evigt som Taabens, fordi nu engang alt glemmes i kommende Dage; ak! den vise maa dø saa godt som Taaben.
17 So I was hating life, because everything under the sun was evil to me: all is to no purpose and desire for wind.
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.
18 Hate had I for all my work which I had done, because the man who comes after me will have its fruits.
Og jeg blev led ved al den Flid, jeg, har gjort mig under Solen, fordi jeg maa efterlade mit Værk til den, som kommer efter mig.
19 And who is to say if that man will be wise or foolish? But he will have power over all my work which I have done and in which I have been wise under the sun. This again is to no purpose.
Hvo ved, om det bliver en Vismand eller en Taabe? Og dog skal han raade over alt, hvad jeg med Flid og Visdom vandt under Solen. Ogsaa det er Tomhed.
20 So my mind was turned to grief for all the trouble I had taken and all my wisdom under the sun.
Og jeg var ved at fortvivle over al den Flid, jeg har gjort mig under Solen;
21 Because there is a man whose work has been done with wisdom, with knowledge, and with an expert hand; but one who has done nothing for it will have it for his heritage. This again is to no purpose and a great evil.
thi der har et Menneske gjort sig. Flid med Visdom, Kundskab og Dygtighed, og saa maa han overlade sit Eje til et Menneske, som ikke har lagt Flid derpaa. Ogsaa det er Tomhed og et stort Onde.
22 What does a man get for all his work, and for the weight of care with which he has done his work under the sun?
Thi hvad faar et Menneske for al sin Flid og sit Hjertes Higen, som han gør sig Flid med under Solen?
23 All his days are sorrow, and his work is full of grief. Even in the night his heart has no rest. This again is to no purpose.
Alle hans Dage er jo Lidelse, og hans Slid er Græmmelse; end ikke om Natten finder hans Hjerte Hvile. Ogsaa det er Tomhed.
24 There is nothing better for a man than taking meat and drink, and having delight in his work. This again I saw was from the hand of God.
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 ogsaa det kommer fra Guds Haand.
25 Who may take food or have pleasure without him?
Thi hvo kan spise eller drikke uden hans Vilje?
26 To the man with whom he is pleased, God gives wisdom and knowledge and joy; but to the sinner he gives the work of getting goods together and storing up wealth, to give to him in whom God has pleasure. This again is to no purpose and desire for wind.
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 saa at give det til en, som er god i Guds Øjne. Ogsaa det er Tomhed og Jag efter Vind.
