Ecclesiastes 2
1 I said in my heart, Come now, I will try thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure. But behold, this also is vanity.
Jeg sagde ved mig selv: "Vel, jeg vil prøve med Glæde; så nyd da det gode!" Men se, også det var Tomhed.
2 I said of laughter, Madness! and of mirth, What availeth it?
Om Latteren sagde jeg: "Dårskab!" og om Glæden: "Hvad gavner den?"
3 I searched in my heart how to cherish my flesh with wine, while practising my heart with wisdom; and how to lay hold on folly, till I should see what was that good for the children of men which they should do under the heavens all the days of their life.
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.
4 I made me great works; I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards;
Jeg fuldbyrdede store Værker, byggede mig Huse, plantede mig Vingårde,
5 I made me gardens and parks, and I planted trees in them of every kind of fruit;
anlagde mig Haver og Lunde og plantede alle Hånde Frugttræer deri,
6 I made me ponds of water, to water therewith the wood, where the trees are reared.
anlagde mig Damme til at vande en Skov i Opvækst;
7 I acquired servants and maidens, and had servants born in my house; also I had great possessions of herds and flocks, above all that had been in Jerusalem before me.
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;
8 I gathered me also silver and gold, and the peculiar treasure of kings and of the provinces; I got me men-singers and women-singers, and the delights of the children of men, a wife and concubines.
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.
9 And I became great, and increased more than all that had been before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained 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 whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them: I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labour, and this was my portion from all my labour.
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.
11 Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that it had cost me to do [them]; and behold, all was vanity and pursuit of the 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 turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly; for what shall the man [do] that cometh after the king? — that which hath already been done.
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.
13 And I saw that wisdom excelleth folly, as light excelleth darkness.
Jeg så, at Visdom har samme Fortrin for Tåbelighed som Lys for Mørke:
14 The wise man's eyes are in his head, and the fool walketh in darkness; but I myself also perceived that one event happeneth to them all.
Den vise har Øjne i Hovedet, men Tåben vandrer i Mørke. Men jeg skønnede også, at en og samme Skæbne rammer begge.
15 And I said in my heart, As it happeneth to the fool so will it happen even to me; and why was I then so wise? Then I said in my heart that this also is vanity.
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;
16 For there shall be no remembrance of the wise more than of the fool for ever; because everything is already forgotten in the days which come. And how dieth the wise even as the fool?
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.
17 And I hated life; for the work that is wrought under the sun was grievous unto me; for all is vanity and pursuit of the 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 And I hated all my labour wherewith I had been toiling under the sun, because I should leave it unto the man that shall be after me.
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.
19 And who knoweth whether he will be a wise [man] or a fool? yet shall he have rule over all my labour at which I have laboured, and wherein I have been wise under the sun. This also is vanity.
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.
20 Then I went about to cause my heart to despair of all the labour wherewith I had laboured under the sun.
Og jeg var ved at fortvivle over al den Flid, jeg har gjort mig under Solen;
21 For there is a man whose labour hath been with wisdom, and with knowledge, and with skill, and who leaveth it to a man that hath not laboured therein, to be his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil.
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.
22 For what will man have of all his labour and of the striving of his heart, wherewith he hath wearied himself under the sun?
Thi hvad får et Menneske for al sin Flid og sit Hjertes Higen, som han gør sig Flid med under Solen?
23 For all his days are sorrows, and his travail vexation: even in the night his heart taketh no rest. This also is vanity.
Alle hans Dage er jo Lidelse, og hans Slid er Græmmelse; end ikke om Natten finder hans Hjerte Hvile. Også det er Tomhed.
24 There is nothing good for man, but that he should eat and drink, and that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labour. This also I saw, that it 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 også det kommer fra Guds Hånd.
25 For who can eat, or who be eager, more than I?
Thi hvo kan spise eller drikke uden hans Vilje?
26 For he giveth to a man that is good in his sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy; but to the sinner he giveth travail to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him that is good in God's sight. This also is vanity and pursuit of the 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 så at give det til en, som er god i Guds Øjne. Også det er Tomhed og Jag efter Vind.
