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

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

3 M y mouth will speak wisdom, And the meditation of my heart will be understanding.

4 I will incline my ear to a proverb; I will express my riddle on the harp.

5 W hy should I fear in days of adversity, When the iniquity of my foes surrounds me,

6 E ven those who trust in their wealth And boast in the abundance of their riches?

7 N o man can by any means redeem his brother Or give to God a ransom for him—

8 F or the redemption of his soul is costly, And he should cease trying forever—

9 T hat he should live on eternally, That he should not undergo decay.

10 F or he sees that even wise men die; The stupid and the senseless alike perish And leave their wealth to others.

11 T heir inner thought is that their houses are forever And their dwelling places to all generations; They have called their lands after their own names.

12 B ut man in his pomp will not endure; He is like the beasts that perish.

13 T his is the way of those who are foolish, And of those after them who approve their words. Selah.

14 A s sheep they are appointed for Sheol; Death shall be their shepherd; And the upright shall rule over them in the morning, And their form shall be for Sheol to consume So that they have no habitation.

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

16 D o not be afraid when a man becomes rich, When the glory of his house is increased;

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

18 T hough while he lives he congratulates himself— And though men praise you when you do well for yourself—

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

20 M an in his pomp, yet without understanding, Is like the beasts that perish.