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

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

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

Both men of low and men of high degree, rich and poor alike.

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 of understanding:

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

I will incline mine ear to a parable, I will open my riddle upon the harp.

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

Wherefore should I fear in the days of adversity, the iniquity of my supplanters encompasseth me?—

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

They depend upon their wealth, and boast themselves in the abundance of their riches. …

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

None 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 redemption of their soul is costly, and must be given up for ever,)

9 t o live forever and not see the grave.

That he should still live perpetually, not see 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 seeth that wise men die; all alike, the fool and the brutish perish, and they 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 are for ever, their dwelling-places from generation to generation: they call the lands after their own names.

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

Nevertheless, man being in honour abideth not: 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 their way is their folly, yet they that come after them delight in 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 are they laid in Sheol: Death feedeth on them; and the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning; and their comeliness shall be for Sheol to consume, that there be no habitation for them.

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 my soul from the power of Sheol: 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 a man becometh rich, when the glory of his house is increased:

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

For when he dieth, he shall carry nothing away; his glory shall 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 he blessed his soul in his lifetime,—and men will praise thee when thou doest well to thyself,—

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

It shall go to the generation of his fathers: they shall never see light.

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

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