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

Hear this, all you peoples. Listen, all you 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 intelligence.

My mouth will speak words of wisdom. My heart shall utter understanding.

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

I will incline my ear to a proverb. I will open my riddle on the harp.

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

Why should I fear in the days of evil, when iniquity at my heels surrounds me?

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

Those who trust in their wealth, and boast 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;

none of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give God a ransom for him.

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

For the redemption of their life is costly, no payment is ever enough,

9 t hat he should still live for ever and not see corruption.

That he should live on forever, that he should 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.

For he sees that wise men die; likewise the fool and the senseless 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.

Their inward thought is that their houses will endure forever, and their dwelling places to all generations. They name their lands after themselves.

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

But man, despite his riches, doesn’t endure. He is like the animals that perish.

13 T his their way is their folly; yet their posterity approve their sayings. Selah.

This is the destiny of those who are foolish, and of those who 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.

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

But God will redeem my soul from the power of Sheol, for he will receive me. Selah.

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

Don’t be afraid when a man 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.

For when he dies he shall carry nothing away. His glory shall not descend after him.

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

Though while he lived he blessed his soul— and men praise you when you do well for yourself—

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

he shall go to the generation of his fathers. They shall never see the light.

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

A man who has riches without understanding, is like the animals that perish.