Ecclesiastes 6

1 There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is hard on men;

Der er et Onde, jeg så under Solen, og som tynger Menneskene hårdt:

2 A man to whom God gives money, wealth, and honour so that he has all his desires but God does not give him the power to have joy of it, and a strange man takes it. This is to no purpose and an evil disease.

Når Gud giver en Mand Rigdom og Gods og Ære, så han intet savner af, hvad han ønsker, og Gud ikke sætter ham i Stand til at nyde det, men en fremmed nyder det, da er dette Tomhed og en slem Lidelse.

3 If a man has a hundred children, and his life is long so that the days of his years are great in number, but his soul takes no pleasure in good, and he is not honoured at his death; I say that a birth before its time is better than he.

Om en Mand avler hundrede Børn og lever mange År, så hans Levetid bliver lang, men hans Sjæl ikke mættes af Goder, så siger jeg dog, at et utidigt Foster er bedre faren end han;

4 In wind it came and to the dark it will go, and with the dark will its name be covered.

thi at det kommer, er Tomhed, og det går bort i Mørke, og i Mørke dølges dets Navn;

5 Yes, it saw not the sun, and it had no knowledge; it is better with this than with the other.

og det har hverken set eller kendt Sol; det får end ikke en Grav; det hviler bedre end han.

6 And though he goes on living a thousand years twice over and does not see good, are not the two going to the same place?

Om han så levede to Gange tusind År, men ikke skuede Lykke - mon ikke alle farer sammesteds hen?

7 All the work of man is for his mouth, and still he has a desire for food.

Al Menneskets Flid tjener hans Mund, og dog stilles hans Sult aldrig.

8 What have the wise more than the foolish? and what has the poor man by walking wisely before the living?

Thi hvad har den vise forud for Tåben, hvad båder det den arme, der ved at vandre for de levendes Øjne?

9 What the eyes see is better than the wandering of desire. This is to no purpose and a desire for wind.

Bedre at se med sine Øjne end higende Attrå. Også det er Tomhed og Jag efter Vind.

10 That which is, has been named before, and of what man is there is knowledge. He has no power against one stronger than he.

Hvad der bliver til er for længst nævnet ved Navn, og det vides i Forvejen, hvad et Menneske bliver til; det kan ikke gå i Rette med ham, der er den stærkeste.

11 There are words without number for increasing what is to no purpose, but what is man profited by them?

Thi jo flere Ord der bruges, des større bliver Tomheden, og hvad gavner de Mennesket?

12 Who is able to say what is good for man in life all the days of his foolish life which he goes through like a shade? who will say what is to be after him under the sun?

Thi hvo ved, hvad der båder et Menneske i Livet, det Tal af tomme Levedage han henlever som en Skygge? Thi hvo kan sige et Menneske, hvad der skal ske under Solen efter hans Død?