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

Hear this, all ye people; give ear, all ye 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 shall give understanding.

My mouth shall speak of wisdom; and the meditation of my heart shall be of understanding.

4 I will incline my ear to a proverb; I will disclose my dark saying on the harp.

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

5 W hy should I fear in the days of evil, When the iniquity at my heels surrounds me?

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

6 T hose who trust in their wealth And boast in the multitude of their riches,

They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches;

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

None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him:

8 F or the redemption of their souls is costly, And it shall cease forever—

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

9 T hat he should continue to live eternally, And not see the Pit.

That he should still live for ever, and not see corruption.

10 F or he sees wise men die; Likewise the fool and the senseless person perish, And leave their wealth to others.

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

11 T heir inner thought is that their houses will last forever, Their dwelling places to all generations; They call their lands after their own names.

Their 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.

12 N evertheless man, though in honor, does not remain; He is like the beasts that perish.

Nevertheless man being in honour abideth not: he is like the beasts that perish.

13 T his is the way of those who are foolish, And of their posterity who approve their sayings. Selah

This their way is their folly: yet their posterity approve their sayings. Selah.

14 L ike sheep they are laid in the grave; Death shall feed on them; The upright shall have dominion over them in the morning; And their beauty shall be consumed in the grave, far from their dwelling.

Like 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.

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

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

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

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

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

For when he dieth he shall carry nothing away: his glory shall not descend after him.

18 T hough while he lives he blesses himself (For men will praise you when you do well for yourself),

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

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

He shall go to the generation of his fathers; they shall never see light.

20 A man who is in honor, yet does not understand, Is like the beasts that perish.

Man that is in honour, and understandeth not, is like the beasts that perish.