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

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

2 B oth men of low and men of high degree, rich and poor alike.

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 wisdom; and the meditation of my heart intelligence.

4 I will incline mine ear to a parable, I will open my riddle upon the harp.

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

5 W herefore should I fear in the days of adversity, the iniquity of my supplanters encompasseth me?—

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

6 T hey depend upon their wealth, and boast themselves in the abundance of their riches. …

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

7 N one can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him,

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 costly, and must be given up for ever,)

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

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

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

10 F or he seeth that wise men die; all alike, the fool and the brutish perish, and they leave their wealth to others.

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

11 T heir inward thought is, that their houses are for ever, their dwelling-places from generation to generation: they call the lands after their own names.

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 N evertheless, man being in honour abideth not: he is like the beasts that perish.

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

13 T his their way is their folly, yet they that come after them delight in their sayings. Selah.

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

14 L ike sheep are they laid in Sheol: Death feedeth on them; and the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning; and their comeliness shall be for Sheol to consume, that there be no habitation for them.

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 B ut God will redeem my soul from the power of Sheol: for he will receive me. Selah.

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

16 B e not afraid when a man becometh 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 in his death he shall carry nothing away; nor shall his glory descend after him.

18 T hough he blessed his soul in his lifetime,—and men will praise thee when thou doest well to thyself,—

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

19 I t shall go to the generation of his fathers: they shall never see light.

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

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

Man that is in honour that does not understand is like the beasts that are cut off.