1 H ear this, all people. Listen, all who live in the world,

Hear this, all you peoples; give ear, all you inhabitants of the world,

2 b oth small and great, rich and poor together.

Both low and high, rich and poor together:

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

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

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

I will submit and consent to a parable or proverb; to the music of a lyre I will unfold my riddle (my problem).

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

Why should I fear in the days of evil, when the iniquity of those who would supplant me surrounds me on every side,

6 T hey trust in their riches, and are proud of all they have.

Even of those who trust in and lean on their wealth and boast of the abundance of their riches?

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

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

8 T he cost is much for his soul to be saved. Man should stop trying

For the ransom of a life is too costly, and can never suffice—

9 t o live forever and not see the grave.

So that he should live on forever and never see the pit (the grave) and corruption.

10 F or he sees that even wise men die. The fool and those who cannot think well die alike. And they leave their riches to others.

For he sees that even wise men die; the fool and the stupid alike perish and leave their wealth to others.

11 T hey 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.

Their inward thought is that their houses will continue forever, and their dwelling places to all generations; they call their lands their own and after their own names.

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

But man, with all his honor and pomp, does not remain; he is like the beasts that perish.

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

This is the fate of those who are foolishly confident, yet after them men approve their sayings. Selah!

14 L ike 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.

Like sheep they are appointed for Sheol (the place of the dead); death shall be their shepherd. And the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning; and their form and beauty shall be consumed, for Sheol shall be their dwelling.

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

But God will redeem me from the power of Sheol (the place of the dead); for He will receive me. Selah!

16 D o not be afraid when a man becomes rich and when his house grows in greatness.

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

17 F or when he dies he will take nothing with him. His greatness will not go down with him.

For when he dies he will carry nothing away; his glory will not descend after him.

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

Though while he lives he counts himself happy and prosperous, and though a man gets praise when he does well,

19 h e will go and join the family of his fathers. They will never see the light.

He will go to the generation of his fathers, who will nevermore see the light.

20 M an with all his honor, yet without understanding, is like the animals that die.

A man who is held in honor and understands not is like the beasts that perish.