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 you peoples. Listen, all you inhabitants of the world,

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

both low and high, rich and poor together.

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

My mouth will speak words of wisdom. My heart shall utter understanding.

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

I will incline my ear to a proverb. I will open my riddle on the harp.

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

Why should I fear in the days of evil, when iniquity at my heels surrounds me?

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

Those who trust in their wealth, and boast in the multitude of their riches—

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

none of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give 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 life is costly, no payment is ever enough,

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

That he should live on forever, that he should 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 sees that wise men die; likewise the fool and the senseless perish, and 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 will endure forever, and their dwelling places to all generations. They name their lands after themselves.

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

But man, despite his riches, doesn’t endure. He is like the animals that perish.

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

This is the destiny of those who are foolish, and of those who approve 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.

They are appointed as a flock for Sheol. Death shall be their shepherd. The upright shall have dominion over them in the morning. Their beauty shall decay in Sheol, far from their mansion.

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,

Don’t be afraid when a man is made 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 dies 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 while he lived he blessed his soul— and men praise you when you do well for yourself—

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

he shall go to the generation of his fathers. They shall never see the light.

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

A man who has riches without understanding, is like the animals that perish.