Ecclesiastes 7
1 A good name is better than precious ointments: and the day of death than the day of one’s birth.
Godt Navn er bedre end ypperlig Salve, Dødsdag bedre end Fødselsdag;
2 It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to the house of feasting: for in that we are put in mind of the end of all, and the living thinketh what is to come.
bedre at gaa til et Sørgehus end at gaa til et Gildehus; thi hist er alle Menneskers Ende, og de levende bør tage det til Hjerte.
3 Anger is better than laughter: because by the sadness of the countenance the mind of the offender is corrected.
Bedre Græmmelse end Latter, thi er Minerne mørke, har Hjertet det godt.
4 The heart of the wise is where there is mourning, and the heart of fools where there is mirth.
De vises Hjerte er i Sørgehuset. Taabernes Hjerte i Glædeshuset.
5 It is better to be rebuked by a wise man, than to be deceived by the flattery of fools.
Bedre at høre paa Vismands Skænd end at høre paa Taabers Sang.
6 For as the crackling of thorns burning under a pot, so is the laughter of a fool: now this also is vanity.
Som Tjørnekvistes Knitren under Gryden er Taabers Latter; ogsaa det er Tomhed.
7 Oppression troubleth the wise, and shall destroy the strength of his heart.
Thi uredelig Vinding gør Vismand til Daare, og Stikpenge ødelægger Hjertet.
8 Better is the end of a speech than the beginning. Better is the patient man than the presumptuous.
En Sags Udgang er bedre end dens Indgang, Taalmod er bedre end Hovmod.
9 Be not quickly angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of a fool.
Vær ikke hastig i dit Sind til at græmmes, thi Græmmelse bor i Taabers Bryst.
10 Say not: What thinkest thou is the cause that former times were better than they are now? for this manner of question is foolish.
Spørg ikke: »Hvoraf kommer det, at de gamle Dage var bedre end vore?« Thi saaledes spørger du ikke med Visdom.
11 Wisdom with riches is more profitable, and bringeth more advantage to them that see the sun.
Bedre er Visdom end Arv, en Fordel for dem, som skuer Solen;
12 For as wisdom is a defence, so money is a defence: but learning and wisdom excel in this, that they give life to him that possesseth them.
thi Visdom skygger, som Penge skygger, men Kundskabs Fortrin er dette, at Visdom holder sin Mand i Live.
13 Consider the works of God, that no man can correct whom he hath despised.
Se paa Guds Værk! Hvo kan rette, hvad han har gjort kroget?
14 In the good day enjoy good things, and beware beforehand of the evil day: for God hath made both the one and the other, that man may not find against him any just complaint.
Vær ved godt Mod paa den gode Dag og indse paa den onde Dag, at Gud skabte denne saavel som hin, for at Mennesket ikke skal finde noget efter sig.
15 These things also I saw in the days of my vanity: A just man perisheth in his justice, and a wicked man liveth a long time in his wickedness.
Begge Dele saa jeg i mine tomme Dage: Der er retfærdige, som omkommer i deres Retfærdighed, og der er gudløse, som lever længe i deres Ondskab.
16 Be not over just: and be not more wise than is necessary, lest thou become stupid.
Vær ikke alt for retfærdig og te dig ikke overvættes viis; hvorfor vil du ødelægge dig selv?
17 Be not overmuch wicked: and be not foolish, lest thou die before thy time.
Vær ikke alt for gudløs og vær ingen Daare; hvorfor vil du dø i Utide?
18 It is good that thou shouldst hold up the just, yea and from him withdraw not thy hand: for he that feareth God, neglecteth nothing.
Det bedste er, at du fastholder det ene og ikke slipper det andet; thi den, der frygter Gud, vil undgaa begge Farer.
19 Wisdom hath strengthened the wise more than ten princes of the city.
Visdom gør Vismand stærkere end ti Magthavere i Byen.
20 For there is no just man upon earth, that doth good, and sinneth not.
Thi intet Menneske er saa retfærdigt paa Jorden, at han kun gør gode Gerninger og aldrig synder.
21 But do not apply thy heart to all words that are spoken: lest perhaps thou hear thy servant reviling thee.
Giv ikke Agt paa alle de Ord, Folk siger, at du ikke skal høre din Træl forbande dig;
22 For thy conscience knoweth that thou also hast often spoken evil of others.
thi du ved med dig selv, at ogsaa du mange Gange har forbandet andre.
23 I have tried all things in wisdom. I have said: I will be wise: and it departed farther from me,
Alt dette ransagede jeg med Visdom; jeg tænkte: »Jeg vil vorde viis.« Men Visdom holdt sig langt fra mig;
24 Much more than it was: it is a great depth, who shall find it out?
Tingenes Grund er langt borte, saa dyb, saa dyb; hvem kan finde den?
25 I have surveyed all things with my mind, to know, and consider, and seek out wisdom and reason: and to know the wickedness of the fool, and the error of the imprudent:
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 Taabelighed, Daarskab Vanvid.
26 And I have found a woman more bitter than death, who is the hunter’s snare, and her heart is a net, and her hands are bands. He that pleaseth God shall escape from her: but he that is a sinner, shall be caught by her.
Og beskere end Døden fandt jeg Kvinden, thi hun er et Fangegarn; hendes Hjerte er et Net og hendes Arme Lænker. Den, som er Gud kær, undslipper hende, men Synderen bliver hendes Fange.
27 Lo this have I found, said Ecclesiastes, weighing one thing after another, that I might find out the account,
Se, det fandt jeg ud, sagde Prædikeren, ved at lægge det ene til det andet for at drage min Slutning.
28 Which yet my soul seeketh, and I have not found it. One man among a thousand I have found, a woman among them all I have not found.
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.
29 Only this I have found, that God made man right, and he hath entangled himself with an infinity of questions. Who is as the wise man? and who hath known the resolution of the word?
Dog se, det fandt jeg, at Gud har skabt Menneskene, som de bør være; men de har saa mange sære Ting for.
