The Complete Jewish Bible CJB
The Bible in Basic English BBE
1 For the leader. A psalm of the descendants of Korach: Hear this, all you peoples! Listen, everyone living on earth,
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<Alamoth. To the chief music-maker. Of the sons of Korah. A Psalm.> Give attention to this, all you peoples; let your ears be open, all you who are living in the world.
2 regardless of whether low or high, regardless of whether rich or poor!
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High and low together, the poor, and those who have wealth.
3 My mouth is about to speak wisdom; my heart's deepest thoughts will give understanding.
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From my mouth will come words of wisdom; and in the thoughts of my heart will be knowledge.
4 I will listen with care to [God's] parable, I will set my enigma to the music of the lyre.
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I will put my teaching into a story; I will make my dark sayings clear with music.
5 Why should I fear when the days bring trouble, when the evil of my pursuers surrounds me,
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What cause have I for fear in the days of evil, when the evil-doing of those who are working for my downfall is round about me?
6 the evil of those who rely on their wealth and boast how rich they are?
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Even of those whose faith is in their wealth, and whose hearts are lifted up because of their stores.
7 No one can ever redeem his brother or give God a ransom for him,
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Truly, no man may get back his soul for a price, or give to God the payment for himself;
8 because the price for him is too high (leave the idea completely alone!)
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(Because it takes a great price to keep his soul from death, and man is not able to give it.)
9 to have him live on eternally and never see the pit.
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So that he might have eternal life, and never see the underworld.
10 For he can see that wise men will die, likewise the fool and the brute will perish and leave their wealth to others.
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For he sees that wise men come to their end, and foolish persons of low behaviour come to destruction together, letting their wealth go to others.
11 They think their homes will last forever, their dwellings through all generations; they give their own names to their estates.
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The place of the dead is their house for ever, and their resting-place through all generations; those who come after them give their names to their lands.
12 But people, even rich ones, will live only briefly; then, like animals, they will die.
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But man, like the animals, does not go on for ever; he comes to an end like the beasts.
13 This is the manner of life of the foolish and those who come after, approving their words. (Selah)
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This is the way of the foolish; their silver is for those who come after them, and their children get the pleasure of their gold. (Selah.)
14 Like sheep, they are destined for Sh'ol; death will be their shepherd. The upright will rule them in the morning; and their forms will waste away in Sh'ol, until they need no dwelling.
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Death will give them their food like sheep; the underworld is their fate and they will go down into it; their flesh is food for worms; their form is wasted away; the underworld is their resting-place for ever.
15 But God will redeem me from Sh'ol's control, because he will receive me. (Selah)
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But God will get back my soul; for he will take me from the power of death. (Selah.)
16 Don't be afraid when someone gets rich, when the wealth of his family grows.
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Have no fear when wealth comes to a man, and the glory of his house is increased;
17 For when he dies, he won't take it with him; his wealth will not go down after him.
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For at his death, he will take nothing away; his glory will not go down after him.
18 True, while he lived, he thought himself happy people praise you when you do well for yourself
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Though he might have pride in his soul in his life-time, and men will give you praise if you do well for yourself,
19 but he will join his ancestors' generations and never again see light.
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He will go to the generation of his fathers; he will not see the light again.
20 People, even rich ones, can fail to grasp that, like animals, they will die.
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Man, like the animals, does not go on for ever; he comes to an end like the beasts.
Complete Jewish Bible Copyright 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
The Bible in Basic English is in the public domain.