The Complete Jewish Bible CJB
New King James Version NKJV
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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To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. Hear this, all peoples; Give ear, all inhabitants of the world,
2 regardless of whether low or high, regardless of whether rich or poor!
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Both low and high, Rich and poor together.
3 My mouth is about to speak wisdom; my heart's deepest thoughts will give understanding.
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My mouth shall speak wisdom, And the meditation of my heart shall give understanding.
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 incline my ear to a proverb; I will disclose my dark saying on the harp.
5 Why should I fear when the days bring trouble, when the evil of my pursuers surrounds me,
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Why should I fear in the days of evil, When the iniquity at my heels surrounds me?
6 the evil of those who rely on their wealth and boast how rich they are?
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Those who trust in their wealth And boast in the multitude of their riches,
7 No one can ever redeem his brother or give God a ransom for him,
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None of them can by any means redeem his brother, Nor give to God a ransom for him--
8 because the price for him is too high (leave the idea completely alone!)
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For the redemption of their souls is costly, And it shall cease forever--
9 to have him live on eternally and never see the pit.
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That he should continue to live eternally, And not see the Pit.
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 wise men die; Likewise the fool and the senseless person perish, And leave their wealth 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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Their inner thought is that their houses will last forever, Their dwelling places to all generations; They call their lands after their own names.
12 But people, even rich ones, will live only briefly; then, like animals, they will die.
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Nevertheless man, though in honor, does not remain; He is like the beasts that perish.
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 those who are foolish, And of their posterity who approve their sayings. 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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Like sheep they are laid in the grave; Death shall feed on them; The upright shall have dominion over them in the morning; And their beauty shall be consumed in the grave, far from their dwelling.
15 But God will redeem me from Sh'ol's control, because he will receive me. (Selah)
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But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave, For He shall receive me. Selah
16 Don't be afraid when someone gets rich, when the wealth of his family grows.
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Do not be afraid when one becomes rich, When 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 when he dies he shall carry nothing away; His glory shall not descend 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 while he lives he blesses himself (For men will praise you when you do well for yourself),
19 but he will join his ancestors' generations and never again see light.
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He shall go to the generation of his fathers; They shall never see light.
20 People, even rich ones, can fail to grasp that, like animals, they will die.
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A man who is in honor, yet does not understand, Is like the beasts that perish.