Ecclesiastes 1

Ord af Prædikeren, Davids Søn, Konge i Jerusalem.

The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.

Endeløs Tomhed, sagde Prædikeren, endeløs Tomhed, alt er Tomhed!

Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.

Hvad Vinding har Mennesket af al den Flid, han gør sig under Solen?

What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun?

Slægt går, og Slægt kommer, men Jorden står til evig Tid.

One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever.

Sol står op, og Sol går ned og haster igen til sin Opgangs Sted.

The sun also ariseth, and the sun goeth down, and hasteth to his place where he arose.

Vinden går mod Syd og drejer mod Nord, den drejer atter og atter og vender tilbage til samme Kredsløb.

The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it whirleth about continually, and the wind returneth again according to his circuits.

Alle Bække løber i Havet, men Havet bliver ikke fuldt; det Sted, til hvilket Bækkene løber, did bliver de ved at løbe.

All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full; unto the place from whence the rivers come, thither they return again.

Alting slider sig træt; Mand hører ikke op med at tale, Øjet bliver ikke mæt af at se, Øret ej fuldt af at høre.

All things are full of labour; man cannot utter it: the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear filled with hearing.

Det, der kommer, er det, der var, det, der sker, er det, der skete; der er slet intet nyt under Solen.

The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.

Kommer der noget, om hvilket man siger: "Se, her er da noget nyt!"det har dog for længst været til i Tiderne forud for os

Is there any thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us.

Ej mindes de svundne Slægter, og de ny, som kommer engang, skal ej heller mindes af dem, som kommer senere hen.

There is no remembrance of former things; neither shall there be any remembrance of things that are to come with those that shall come after.

Jeg, Prædikeren, var Konge over Israel i Jerusalem.

I the Preacher was king over Israel in Jerusalem.

Jeg vendte min Hu til at ransage og med Visdom udgranske alt, hvad der sker under Himmelen; det er et ondt Slid, som Gud har givet Menneskens Børn at slide med.

And I gave my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all things that are done under heaven: this sore travail hath God given to the sons of man to be exercised therewith.

Jeg så alt, hvad der sker under Solen, og se, det er alt sammen Tomhed og Jag efter Vind.

I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit.

Kroget kan ej blive lige, og halvt kan ej blive helt.

That which is crooked cannot be made straight: and that which is wanting cannot be numbered.

Jeg tænkte ved mig selv: "Se, jeg har vundet større og rigere Visdom end alle de, der før mig var over Jerusalem, og mit Hjerte har skuet Visdom og Kundskab i Fylde."

I communed with mine own heart, saying, Lo, I am come to great estate, and have gotten more wisdom than all they that have been before me in Jerusalem: yea, my heart had great experience of wisdom and knowledge.

Jeg vendte min Hu til at fatte, hvad der er Visdom og Kundskab, og hvad der er Dårskab og Tåbelighed; jeg skønnede, at også det er Jag efter Vind.

And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit.

Thi megen Visdom megen Græmmelse, øget Kundskab øget Smerte.

For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.