New American Standard Bible NAS
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 will speak wisdom, And the meditation of my heart will 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 express my riddle on the 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 in days of adversity, When the iniquity of my foes surrounds me,
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Why should I fear when evil days come, when wicked deceivers surround me—
6 Even those who trust in their wealth And boast in the abundance of their riches?
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those who trust in their wealth and boast of their great riches?
7 No man can by any means redeem his brother Or 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 his soul is costly, And he should cease trying forever -
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the ransom for a life is costly, no payment is ever enough—
9 That he should live on eternally, That he should not undergo decay.
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so that they should live on forever and not see decay.
10 For he sees that even wise men die; The stupid and the senseless 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 inner thought is that their houses are forever And their dwelling places to all generations; They have called 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 in his pomp will not endure; 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 way of those who are foolish, And of those after them who approve their words. Selah.
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This is the fate of those who trust in themselves, and of their followers, who approve their sayings.
14 As sheep they are appointed for Sheol; Death shall be their shepherd; And the upright shall rule over them in the morning, And their form shall be for Sheol to consume So that they have no habitation.
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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 Do not be afraid when a man becomes 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 dies he will carry nothing away; His glory will 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 lives he congratulates himself - And though men praise you 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 He shall go to the generation of his fathers; They will 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 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.
New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, California. 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.