Tanker om livet
1Et godt ry er vigtigere end kostbar parfume, ligesom den dag, man dør, er vigtigere end den dag, man blev født. 2Det er vigtigere at gå til begravelse end at gå til fest, for døden indhenter os alle, og det bør man altid huske på. 3Sorg er vigtigere end latter, for det giver én noget at tænke over. 4Den kloge tænker over dødens alvor, mens tåben slår tiden ihjel med morskab.
5Det er bedre at lytte til en vismands kritik end til en tåbes ros. 6En tåbes latter er som tjørnekviste, der knitrer lystigt under gryden, men hurtigt brænder ud. Det er der intet formål med. 7Uhæderlighed gør den vise til en tåbe, bestikkelse gør sindet korrupt. 8At kunne føre en sag igennem til sin afslutning er vigtigere end at kunne begynde den, tålmodighed er bedre end stolthed. 9Lad dig ikke provokere til vrede, for det er tåbeligt at gå rundt og bære nag. 10Lad være at sukke efter „de gode, gamle dage”, for det afslører din mangel på visdom.
11Det er godt at få en arv, og det er godt at have visdom. 12Både visdom og rigdom giver sikkerhed i livet, men visdommen har dog et fortrin: Den er bedre til at holde et menneske i live.
13Tænk på, hvordan Gud handler. Hvem kan rette det ud, som han har gjort skævt? 14Glæd dig, når du oplever fremgang. Men når modgangen kommer, så husk på, at begge dele kommer fra Gud, og du kan aldrig vide, hvad fremtiden bringer.
15Jeg har set mange uretfærdige ting i mit liv. Jeg har set et godt menneske dø i en al for ung alder, og jeg har set et ondt menneske leve længe på trods af sin ondskab. 16Tro ikke, at Gud automatisk velsigner dig på grund af din store godhed eller visdom. Du kunne blive dybt skuffet. 17På den anden side er det farligt at være ond eller tåbelig. Du kunne risikere at dø i en ung alder. 18Lyt til begge advarsler, for et gudfrygtigt menneske vil følge begge råd.
19Ti officerer kan beskytte en by, men visdom giver endnu mere beskyttelse, 20for intet menneske er så godt, at det altid handler rigtigt og aldrig synder.
21Lyt ikke til alt, hvad der bliver sladret om, for du kunne risikere at høre din egen tjener kritisere dig, 22og du ved jo, hvor ofte du selv har kritiseret andre.
23Jeg tænkte dybt over alt, hvad jeg så, for jeg ville gerne forstå det hele, men det lykkedes dog ikke. 24Livets mening og dybe sammenhæng overgår min forstand. Intet menneske forstår det til bunds. 25Alligevel undersøgte jeg alle ting grundigt og stillede spørgsmål for gennem visdom at kunne forstå tingenes sammenhæng. Jeg var sikker på, at gudløshed er tåbeligt, og tåbelighed er vanvid.
26Jeg fandt også ud af noget andet: En forførende kvinde er dødsensfarlig. Hendes lidenskab er en fælde og hendes arme som lænker. Den, der lever ret for Gud, kan undslippe fælden, men en synder bliver et let bytte.
27-28Jeg har efterhånden stillet mange spørgsmål om livet og opdaget mange ting, men hvad jeg virkelig søgte efter, fandt jeg ikke. Blandt 1000 mænd fandt jeg kun én eneste, der var retskaffen, og blandt kvinder fandt jeg ingen.
29Jeg er overbevist om, at Gud har skabt menneskene, som de bør være. De har bare så mange sære ting for.
1A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one’s birth.
2¶ 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. 3Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.7.3 Sorrow: or, Anger 4The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth. 5It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools. 6For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity.7.6 crackling: Heb. sound
7¶ Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad; and a gift destroyeth the heart. 8Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit. 9Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools. 10Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not enquire wisely concerning this.7.10 wisely: Heb. out of wisdom
11¶ Wisdom is good with an inheritance: and by it there is profit to them that see the sun.7.11 good…: or, as good as an inheritance, yea, better too 12For wisdom is a defence, and money is a defence: but the excellency of knowledge is, that wisdom giveth life to them that have it.7.12 defence: Heb. shadow 13Consider the work of God: for who can make that straight, which he hath made crooked? 14In 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.7.14 set: Heb. made 15All 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. 16Be not righteous over much; neither make thyself over wise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself?7.16 destroy…: Heb. be desolate? 17Be not over much wicked, neither be thou foolish: why shouldest thou die before thy time?7.17 before…: Heb. not in thy time? 18It 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. 19Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty men which are in the city. 20For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not. 21Also take no heed unto all words that are spoken; lest thou hear thy servant curse thee:7.21 take…: Heb. give not thine heart 22For oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.
23¶ All this have I proved by wisdom: I said, I will be wise; but it was far from me. 24That which is far off, and exceeding deep, who can find it out? 25I 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:7.25 I applied…: Heb. I and mine heart compassed 26And 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.7.26 whoso…: Heb. he that is good before God 27Behold, this have I found, saith the preacher, counting one by one, to find out the account:7.27 counting…: or, weighing one thing after another, to find out the reason 28Which 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. 29Lo, this only have I found, that God hath made man upright; but they have sought out many inventions.
