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

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

2 B oth low and high, together rich and needy.

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

3 M y mouth speaketh wise things, And the meditations of my heart things of understanding.

My mouth shall speak wisdom, and the meditation of my heart shall be of understanding:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

(For the redemption of their soul is costly, and must be given up for ever,)

9 A nd still he liveth for ever, He seeth not the pit.

That he should still live perpetually, not see corruption.

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

For he seeth that wise men die; all alike, the fool and the brutish perish, and they leave their wealth to others.

11 T heir heart: Their houses to the age, Their tabernacles to all generations. They proclaimed their names over the 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 A nd man in honour doth not remain, He hath been like the beasts, they have been cut off.

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

13 T his their way folly for them, And their posterity with their sayings are pleased. Selah.

This their way is their folly, yet they that come after them delight in their sayings. Selah.

14 A s 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.

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

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

16 F ear not, when one maketh wealth, When the honour of his house is abundant,

Be not afraid when a man becometh rich, when the glory of his house is increased:

17 F or at his death he receiveth nothing, His honour goeth not down after him.

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

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

Though he blessed his soul in his lifetime,—and men will praise thee when thou doest well to thyself,—

19 I t cometh to the generation of his fathers, For ever they see not the light.

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

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

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