Ecclesiastes 7

Godt Navn er bedre end ypperlig Salve, Dødsdag bedre end Fødselsdag;

A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one's birth.

bedre at gå til et Sørgehus end at gå til et Gildehus; thi hist er alle Menneskers Ende, og de levende bør tage det til Hjerte

It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart.

Bedre Græmmelse end Latter, thi er Minerne mørke, har Hjertet det godt.

Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.

De vises Hjerte er i Sørgehuset. Tåbernes Hjerte i Glædeshuset.

The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.

Bedre at høre på Vismands Skænd end at høre på Tåbers Sang.

It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools.

Som Tjørnekvistes Knitren under Gryden er Tåbers Latter; også det er Tomhed.

For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity.

Thi uredelig Vinding gør Vismand til Dåre, og Stikpenge ødelægger Hjertet.

Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad; and a gift destroyeth the heart.

En Sags Udgang er bedre end dens Indgang, Tålmod er bedre end Hovmod.

Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.

Vær ikke hastig i dit Sind til at græmmes, thi Græmmelse bor i Tåbers Bryst.

Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.

Spørg ikke: "Hvoraf kommer det, at de gamle Dage var bedre end vore?" Thi således spørger du ikke med Visdom.

Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not enquire wisely concerning this.

Bedre er Visdom end Arv, en Fordel for dem, som skuer Solen;

Wisdom is good with an inheritance: and by it there is profit to them that see the sun.

thi Visdom skygger, som Penge skygger, men Kundskabs Fortrin er dette, at Visdom holder sin Mand i Live.

For wisdom is a defence, and money is a defence: but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom giveth life to them that have it.

Se på Guds Værk! Hvo kan rette, hvad han har gjort kroget?

Consider the work of God: for who can make that straight, which he hath made crooked?

Vær ved godt Mod på den gode Dag og indse på den onde Dag, at Gud skabte denne såvel som hin, for at Mennesket ikke skal finde noget efter sig.

In the day of prosperity be joyful, but in the day of adversity consider: God also hath set the one over against the other, to the end that man should find nothing after him.

Begge Dele så jeg i mine tomme Dage: Der er retfærdige, som omkommer i deres Retfærdighed, og der er gudløse, som lever længe i deres Ondskab.

All things have I seen in the days of my vanity: there is a just man that perisheth in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man that prolongeth his life in his wickedness.

Vær ikke alt for retfærdig og te dig ikke overvættes viis; hvorfor vil du ødelægge dig selv?

Be not righteous over much; neither make thyself over wise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself?

Vær ikke alt for gudløs og vær ingen Dåre; hvorfor vil du dø i Utide?

Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time?

Det bedste er, at du fastholder det ene og ikke slipper det andet; thi den, der frygter Gud, vil undgå begge Farer.

It is good that thou shouldest take hold of this; yea, also from this withdraw not thine hand: for he that feareth God shall come forth of them all.

Visdom gør Vismand stærkere end ti Magthavere i Byen.

Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty men which are in the city.

Thi intet Menneske er så retfærdigt på Jorden, at han kun gør gode Gerninger og aldrig synder.

For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.

Giv ikke Agt på alle de Ord, Folk siger, at du ikke skal høre din Træl forbande dig;

Also take no heed unto all words that are spoken; lest thou hear thy servant curse thee:

thi du ved med dig selv, at også du mange Gange har forbandet andre.

For oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.

Alt dette ransagede jeg med Visdom; jeg tænkte: "Jeg vil vorde viis." Men Visdom holdt sig langt fra mig;

All this have I proved by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me.

Tingenes Grund er langt borte, så dyb, så dyb; hvem kan finde den?

That which is far off, and exceeding deep, who can find it out?

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 Tåbelighed, Dårskab Vanvid.

I applied mine heart to know, and to search, and to seek out wisdom, and the reason of things, and to know the wickedness of folly, even of foolishness and madness:

Og beskere end Døden fandt jeg Kvinden, thi hun er et Fangegarn; hendes Hjerfe er et Net og hendes Arme Lænker. Den, som er Gud kær, undslipper hende, men Synderen bliver hendes Fange.

And I find more bitter than death the woman, whose heart is snares and nets, and her hands as bands: whoso pleaseth God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be taken by her.

Se, det fandt jeg ud, sagde Prædikeren, ved at lægge det ene til det andet for at drage min Slutning.

Behold, this have I found, saith the preacher, counting one by one, to find out the account:

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.

Which yet my soul seeketh, but I find not: one man among a thousand have I found; but a woman among all those have I not found.

Dog se, det fandt jeg, at Gud har skabt Menneskene, som de bør være; men de har så mange sære Ting for.

Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.