The Complete Jewish Bible CJB
New Living Translation NLT
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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Listen to this, all you people! Pay attention, everyone in the world!
2 regardless of whether low or high, regardless of whether rich or poor!
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High and low, rich and poor—listen!
3 My mouth is about to speak wisdom; my heart's deepest thoughts will give understanding.
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For my words are wise, and my thoughts are filled with insight.
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 listen carefully to many proverbs and solve riddles with inspiration from a 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 when trouble comes, when enemies surround me?
6 the evil of those who rely on their wealth and boast how rich they are?
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They trust in their wealth and boast of great riches.
7 No one can ever redeem his brother or give God a ransom for him,
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Yet they cannot redeem themselves from death by paying a ransom to God.
8 because the price for him is too high (leave the idea completely alone!)
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Redemption does not come so easily, for no one can ever pay enough
9 to have him live on eternally and never see the pit.
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to live forever and never see the grave.
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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Those who are wise must finally die, just like the foolish and senseless, leaving all their wealth behind.
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 grave is their eternal home, where they will stay forever. They may name their estates after themselves,
12 But people, even rich ones, will live only briefly; then, like animals, they will die.
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but their fame will not last. They will die, just like animals.
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 fate of fools, though they are remembered as being wise. Interlude
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 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.
15 But God will redeem me from Sh'ol's control, because he will receive me. (Selah)
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But as for me, God will redeem my life. He will snatch me from the power of the grave. Interlude
16 Don't be afraid when someone gets rich, when the wealth of his family grows.
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So don’t be dismayed when the wicked grow rich and their homes become ever more splendid.
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 they die, they take nothing with them. Their wealth will not follow them into the grave.
18 True, while he lived, he thought himself happy people praise you when you do well for yourself
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In this life they consider themselves fortunate and are applauded for their success.
19 but he will join his ancestors' generations and never again see light.
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But they will die like all before them and never again see the light of day.
20 People, even rich ones, can fail to grasp that, like animals, they will die.
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People who boast of their wealth don’t understand; they will die, just like animals.
Complete Jewish Bible Copyright 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
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.