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

Hear this, all people. Listen, all who live in the world,

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

both small and great, rich and poor together.

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

My mouth will speak wisdom. And the thoughts of my heart will be understanding.

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

I will turn my ear to a wise saying. With a harp, I will tell what is hard to understand.

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

Why should I be afraid in the days of trouble, when the sin of those who hate me is all around me?

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

They trust in their riches, and are proud of all they have.

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

No man can save his brother. No man can pay God enough to save him.

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

The cost is much for his soul to be saved. Man should stop trying

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

to live forever and not see the grave.

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

For he sees that even wise men die. The fool and those who cannot think well die alike. And they leave their riches 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.

They think in their hearts that their houses will last forever, and that the places where they live will last for all their children to follow. They have used their own names to name their lands.

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

But man with all his honor does not last. He is like the animals that die.

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

This is the way of the foolish, and of those after them who believe in their words.

14 L ike 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.

Like sheep they are meant for the grave. Death will be their shepherd. And those who are right with God will rule over them in the morning. Their bodies will be eaten by the grave, so that they have no place to stay.

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

But God will free my soul from the power of the grave. For He will take me to Himself.

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

Do not be afraid when a man becomes rich and when his house grows in greatness.

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

For when he dies he will take nothing with him. His greatness will not go down with him.

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

Even if while he lives, he thinks good of himself, and even though men praise you when you do well for yourself,

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

he will go and join the family of his fathers. They will never see the light.

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

Man with all his honor, yet without understanding, is like the animals that die.