1 H ear this, all ye peoples; Give ear, all ye inhabitants of the world,

Hear this, all ye people; give ear, all ye inhabitants of the world:

2 B oth low and high, Rich and poor together.

both low and high, rich and poor, together.

3 M y mouth shall speak wisdom; And the meditation of my heart shall be of understanding.

My mouth shall speak of 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.

I will incline mine ear to a parable: I will open my dark saying upon the harp.

5 W herefore should I fear in the days of evil, When iniquity at my heels compasseth me about?

Wherefore should I fear in the days of evil, when the iniquity of my heels shall compass me about?

6 T hey that trust in their wealth, And boast themselves in the multitude of their riches;

They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches;

7 N one of them can by any means redeem his brother, Nor give to God a ransom for him;

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;)

(for the redemption of their soul is precious, and it ceaseth for ever:)

9 T hat he should still live alway, That he should not see corruption.

that he should still live for ever, and not see corruption.

10 F or he shall see it. Wise men die; The fool and the brutish alike perish, And leave their wealth to others.

For he seeth that wise men die, likewise the fool and the brutish person perish, and leave their wealth to others.

11 T heir 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.

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 B ut man being in honor abideth not: He is like the beasts that perish.

Nevertheless man being in honour abideth not: he is like the beasts that perish.

13 T his their way is their folly: Yet after them men approve their sayings. Selah

This their way is their folly: yet their posterity approve their sayings. Selah.

14 T hey 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.

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

15 B ut God will redeem my soul from the power of Sheol; For he will receive me. Selah

But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave: for he shall receive me. Selah.

16 B e not thou afraid when one is made rich, When the glory of his house is increased.

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

17 F or when he dieth he shall carry nothing away; His glory shall not descend after him.

for when he dieth he shall carry nothing away: his glory shall not descend after him.

18 T hough while he lived he blessed his soul (And men praise thee, when thou doest well to thyself,)

Though while he lived he blessed his soul: and men will praise thee, when thou doest well to thyself.

19 H e shall go to the generation of his fathers; They shall never see the light.

He shall go to the generation of his fathers; they shall never see light.

20 M an that is in honor, and understandeth not, Is like the beasts that perish.

Man that is in honour, and understandeth not, is like the beasts that perish.