1 Hear this, all you peoples.

Listen, all you inhabitants of the world,

2 both low and high,

rich and poor together.

3 My mouth will speak words of wisdom.

My heart will utter understanding.

4 I will incline my ear to a proverb.

I will solve my riddle on the harp.

5 Why should I fear in the days of evil,

when iniquity at my heels surrounds me?

6 Those who trust in their wealth,

and boast in the multitude of their riches—

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

nor give God a ransom for him.

8 For the redemption of their life is costly,

no payment is ever enough,

9 that he should live on forever,

that he should not see corruption.

10 For he sees that wise men die;

likewise the fool and the senseless perish,

and leave their wealth to others.

11 Their inward thought is that their houses will endure forever,

and their dwelling places to all generations.

They name their lands after themselves.

12 But man, despite his riches, doesn’t endure.

He is like the animals that perish.

13 This is the destiny of those who are foolish,

and of those who approve their sayings. Selah.

14 They are appointed as a flock for Sheol.

Death shall be their shepherd.

The upright shall have dominion over them in the morning.

Their beauty shall decay in Sheol,

far from their mansion.

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

for he will receive me. Selah.

16 Don’t be afraid when a man is made rich,

when the glory of his house is increased;

17 for when he dies he will carry nothing away.

His glory won’t descend after him.

18 Though while he lived he blessed his soul—

and men praise you when you do well for yourself—

19 he shall go to the generation of his fathers.

They shall never see the light.

20 A man who has riches without understanding,

is like the animals that perish.

1 To the Overcomer, A Psalm for the sons of Korah. Hear this, all [ye] people; 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 intelligence.

4 I will incline mine ear to a parable; I will declare my enigma upon the harp.

5 Why should I fear in the days of adversity [when] the iniquity of my heels shall compass me about?

6 Those that trust in their wealth and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches;

7 none [of them] can by any means ransom his brother, nor give God an atonement for him;

8 (for the redemption of their soul [is] of great price, and they shall never pay [it])

9 that he should still live for ever [and] not see corruption.

10 For he sees [that] all the wise men die, likewise the fool and the ignorant perish and leave their wealth to others.

11 Their inward thought [is] [that] their houses are eternal [and] their dwelling places to all generations; they call [their] lands after their own names.

12 Nevertheless man will not abide [forever] in honour; he is like the beasts [that] are cut off.

13 This their way [is] their folly; yet their posterity approve their sayings. Selah.

14 Like sheep they are laid in Sheol; death shall feed on them, and the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning, and their beauty shall be consumed in the grave from their dwelling.

15 Surely God will ransom my soul from the hand of Sheol when he shall take me. Selah.

16 Be not thou afraid when one is made rich, when the glory of his house is increased;

17 for in his death he shall carry nothing away; nor shall his glory descend after him.

18 Though while he lives, his life shall be blessed: and [men] will praise thee when thou art prosperous.

19 He shall enter into the generation of his fathers; they shall never see light forever.

20 Man [that is] in honour that does not understand is like the beasts [that] are cut off.: