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

To the Overseer. -- By sons of Korah. A Psalm. Hear this, all ye peoples, Give ear, all ye inhabitants of the world.

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

Both low and high, together rich and needy.

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

My mouth speaketh wise things, And the meditations of my heart things of understanding.

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

I incline to a simile mine ear, I open with a harp my riddle:

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

Why do I fear in days of evil? The iniquity of my supplanters doth compass me.

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

Those trusting on their wealth, And in the multitude of their riches, Do shew themselves foolish.

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

A brother doth no one at all ransom, He doth not give to God his atonement.

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

And precious the redemption of their soul, And it hath ceased -- to the age.

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

And still he liveth for ever, He seeth not the pit.

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

For he seeth wise men die, Together the foolish and brutish perish, And have left to others their wealth.

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.

Their heart: Their houses to the age, Their tabernacles to all generations. They proclaimed their names over the lands.

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

And man in honour doth not remain, He hath been like the beasts, they have been cut off.

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

This their way folly for them, And their posterity with their sayings are pleased. 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.

As sheep for Sheol they have set themselves, Death doth afflict them, And the upright rule over them in the morning, And their form for consumption. Sheol a dwelling for him.

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

Only, God doth ransom my soul from the hand of Sheol, For He doth receive me. Selah.

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

Fear not, when one maketh wealth, When the honour of his house is abundant,

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

For at his death he receiveth nothing, His honour goeth not down after him.

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

For his soul in his life he blesseth, (And they praise thee when thou dost well for thyself.)

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

It cometh to the generation of his fathers, For ever they see not the light.

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

Man in honour, who understandest not, Hath been like the beasts, they have been cut off!