New Living Translation NLT
New International Version NIV
1 Listen to this, all you people! Pay attention, everyone in the world!
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Hear this, all you peoples; listen, all who live in this world,
2 High and low, rich and poor—listen!
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both low and high, rich and poor alike:
3 For my words are wise, and my thoughts are filled with insight.
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My mouth will speak words of wisdom; the meditation of my heart will give you understanding.
4 I listen carefully to many proverbs and solve riddles with inspiration from a harp.
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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 when trouble comes, when enemies surround me?
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Why should I fear when evil days come, when wicked deceivers surround me—
6 They trust in their wealth and boast of great riches.
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those who trust in their wealth and boast of their great riches?
7 Yet they cannot redeem themselves from death by paying a ransom to God.
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No one can redeem the life of another or give to God a ransom for them—
8 Redemption does not come so easily, for no one can ever pay enough
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the ransom for a life is costly, no payment is ever enough—
9 to live forever and never see the grave.
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so that they should live on forever and not see decay.
10 Those who are wise must finally die, just like the foolish and senseless, leaving all their wealth behind.
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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 The grave is their eternal home, where they will stay forever. They may name their estates after themselves,
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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 their fame will not last. They will die, just like animals.
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People, despite their wealth, do not endure; they are like the beasts that perish.
13 This is the fate of fools, though they are remembered as being wise. Interlude
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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 led to the grave, where death will be their shepherd. In the morning the godly will rule over them. Their bodies will rot in the grave, far from their grand estates.
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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 as for me, God will redeem my life. He will snatch me from the power of the grave. Interlude
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But God will redeem me from the realm of the dead; he will surely take me to himself.
16 So don’t be dismayed when the wicked grow rich and their homes become ever more splendid.
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Do not be overawed when others grow rich, when the splendor of their houses increases;
17 For when they die, they take nothing with them. Their wealth will not follow them into the grave.
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for they will take nothing with them when they die, their splendor will not descend with them.
18 In this life they consider themselves fortunate and are applauded for their success.
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Though while they live they count themselves blessed— and people praise you when you prosper—
19 But they will die like all before them and never again see the light of day.
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they will join those who have gone before them, who will never again see the light of life.
20 People who boast of their wealth don’t understand; they will die, just like animals.
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People who have wealth but lack understanding are like the beasts that perish.
Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright© 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013 by
Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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.