English Standard Version ESV
New International Version NIV
1 Hear this, all peoples! Give ear, all 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; the meditation of my heart shall be 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 my ear to a proverb; I will solve my riddle to the music of the lyre.
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I will turn my ear to a proverb; with the harp I will expound my riddle:
5 Why should I fear in times of trouble, when the iniquity of those who cheat me surrounds me,
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Why should I fear when evil days come, when wicked deceivers surround me—
6 those who trust in their wealth and boast of the abundance of their riches?
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those who trust in their wealth and boast of their great riches?
7 Truly no man can ransom another, or give to God the price of his life,
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No one can redeem the life of another or give to God a ransom for them—
8 for the ransom of their life is costly and can never suffice,
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the ransom for a life is costly, no payment is ever enough—
9 that he should live on forever and never see the pit.
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so that they should live on forever and not see decay.
10 For he sees that even the wise die; the fool and the stupid alike must 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 graves are their homes forever, their dwelling places to all generations, though they called lands by 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 Man in his pomp will not remain; 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 is the path of those who have foolish confidence; yet after them people approve of their boasts. Selah
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This is the fate of those who trust in themselves, and of their followers, who approve their sayings.
14 Like sheep they are appointed for Sheol; death shall be their shepherd, and the upright shall rule over them in the morning. Their form shall be consumed in Sheol, with no place to dwell.
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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 ransom 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 afraid when a man becomes rich, when the glory of his house increases.
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Do not be overawed when others grow rich, when the splendor of their houses increases;
17 For when he dies he will carry nothing away; his glory will not go down after him.
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for they will take nothing with them when they die, their splendor will not descend with them.
18 For though, while he lives, he counts himself blessed --and though you get praise when you do well for yourself--
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Though while they live they count themselves blessed— and people praise you when you prosper—
19 his soul will go to the generation of his fathers, who will never again see 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 in his pomp yet without understanding is like the beasts that perish.
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People who have wealth but lack understanding are like the beasts that perish.
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.
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.