1 Hear this, all ye peoples;

Give ear, all ye inhabitants of the world,

2 Both low and high,

Rich and poor together.

3 My mouth shall speak wisdom;

And the meditation of my heart shall be of understanding.

4 I will incline mine ear to a parable:

I will open my dark saying upon the harp.

5 Wherefore should I fear in the days of evil,

When iniquity at my heels compasseth me about?

6 They that trust in their wealth,

And boast themselves in the multitude of their riches;

7 None of them can by any means redeem his brother,

Nor give to God a ransom for him

8 (For the redemption of their life is costly,

And it faileth for ever),

9 That he should still live alway,

That he should not see corruption.

10 For he shall see it. Wise men die;

The fool and the brutish alike perish,

And leave their wealth to others.

11 Their inward thought is, that their houses shall continue for ever,

And their dwelling-places to all generations;

They call their lands after their own names.

12 But man being in honor abideth not:

He is like the beasts that perish.

13 This their way is their folly:

Yet after them men approve their sayings. [Selah

14 They are appointed as a flock for Sheol;

Death shall be their shepherd:

And the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning;

And their beauty shall be for Sheol to consume,

That there be no habitation for it.

15 But God will redeem my soul from the power of Sheol;

For he will receive me. [Selah

16 Be not thou afraid when one is made rich,

When the glory of his house is increased:

17 For when he dieth he shall carry nothing away;

His glory shall not descend after him.

18 Though while he lived he blessed his soul

(And men praise thee, when thou doest well to thyself),

19 He shall go to the generation of his fathers;

They shall never see the light.

20 Man that is in honor, and understandeth not,

Is like the beasts that perish.

1 To the Overseer. -- By sons of Korah. A Psalm. Hear this, all ye peoples, Give ear, all ye inhabitants of the world.

2 Both low and high, together rich and needy.

3 My mouth speaketh wise things, And the meditations of my heart [are] things of understanding.

4 I incline to a simile mine ear, I open with a harp my riddle:

5 Why do I fear in days of evil? The iniquity of my supplanters doth compass me.

6 Those trusting on their wealth, And in the multitude of their riches, Do shew themselves foolish.

7 A brother doth no one at all ransom, He doth not give to God his atonement.

8 And precious [is] the redemption of their soul, And it hath ceased -- to the age.

9 And still he liveth for ever, He seeth not the pit.

10 For he seeth wise men die, Together the foolish and brutish perish, And have left to others their wealth.

11 Their heart [is]: Their houses [are] to the age, Their tabernacles to all generations. They proclaimed their names over the lands.

12 And man in honour doth not remain, He hath been like the beasts, they have been cut off.

13 This their way [is] folly for them, And their posterity with their sayings are pleased. Selah.

14 As sheep for Sheol they have set themselves, Death doth afflict them, And the upright rule over them in the morning, And their form [is] for consumption. Sheol [is] a dwelling for him.

15 Only, God doth ransom my soul from the hand of Sheol, For He doth receive me. Selah.

16 Fear not, when one maketh wealth, When the honour of his house is abundant,

17 For at his death he receiveth nothing, His honour goeth not down after him.

18 For his soul in his life he blesseth, (And they praise thee when thou dost well for thyself.)

19 It cometh to the generation of his fathers, For ever they see not the light.

20 Man in honour, who understandest not, Hath been like the beasts, they have been cut off!