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

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

3 M y 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 W hy 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 n one 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 t hat he should still live for ever and not see corruption.

10 F or 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 eternal and their dwelling places to all generations; they call their lands after their own names.

12 N evertheless 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 their posterity approve their sayings. Selah.

14 L ike 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 B e not thou afraid when one is made rich, when the glory of his house is increased;

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

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

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

20 M an that is in honour that does not understand is like the beasts that are cut off.