American Standard Version ASV
New International Version NIV
1 Hear this, all ye peoples; Give ear, all ye inhabitants of the world,
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Hear this, all you peoples; listen, all who live in this world,
2 Both low and high, Rich and poor together.
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both low and high, rich and poor alike:
3 My mouth shall speak wisdom; And the meditation of my heart shall be of understanding.
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My mouth will speak words of wisdom; the meditation of my heart will give you understanding.
4 I will incline mine ear to a parable: I will open my dark saying upon the harp.
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I will turn my ear to a proverb; with the harp I will expound my riddle:
5 Wherefore should I fear in the days of evil, When iniquity at my heels compasseth me about?
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Why should I fear when evil days come, when wicked deceivers surround me—
6 They that trust in their wealth, And boast themselves in the multitude of their riches;
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those who trust in their wealth and boast of their great riches?
7 None [of them] can by any means redeem his brother, Nor give to God a ransom for him;
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No one can redeem the life of another or give to God a ransom for them—
8 (For the redemption of their life is costly, And it faileth for ever;)
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the ransom for a life is costly, no payment is ever enough—
9 That he should still live alway, That he should not see corruption.
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so that they should live on forever and not see decay.
10 For he shall see it. Wise men die; The fool and the brutish alike perish, And leave their wealth to others.
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For all can see that the wise die, that the foolish and the senseless also perish, leaving their wealth to others.
11 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.
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Their tombs will remain their houses forever, their dwellings for endless generations, though they had named lands after themselves.
12 But man [being] in honor abideth not: He is like the beasts that perish.
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People, despite their wealth, do not endure; they are like the beasts that perish.
13 This their way is their folly: Yet after them men approve their sayings. [Selah
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This is the fate of those who trust in themselves, and of their followers, who approve their sayings.
14 They are appointed as a flock for Sheol; Death shall be their shepherd; And the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning; And their beauty shall be for Sheol to consume, That there be no habitation for it.
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They are like sheep and are destined to die; death will be their shepherd (but the upright will prevail over them in the morning). Their forms will decay in the grave, far from their princely mansions.
15 But God will redeem my soul from the power of Sheol; For he will receive me. [Selah
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But God will redeem me from the realm of the dead; he will surely take me to himself.
16 Be not thou afraid when one is made rich, When the glory of his house is increased.
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Do not be overawed when others grow rich, when the splendor of their houses increases;
17 For when he dieth he shall carry nothing away; His glory shall not descend after him.
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for they will take nothing with them when they die, their splendor will not descend with them.
18 Though while he lived he blessed his soul (And men praise thee, when thou doest well to thyself,)
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Though while they live they count themselves blessed— and people praise you when you prosper—
19 He shall go to the generation of his fathers; They shall never see the light.
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they will join those who have gone before them, who will never again see the light of life.
20 Man that is in honor, and understandeth not, Is like the beasts that perish.
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People who have wealth but lack understanding are like the beasts that perish.
The American Standard Version is in the public domain.
Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica. All rights reserved worldwide.