Holman Christian Standard Bible CSB
English Standard Version ESV
1 Hear this, all you peoples; listen, all who inhabit the world,
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Hear this, all peoples! Give ear, all inhabitants of the world,
2 both low and high, rich and poor together.
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both low and high, rich and poor together!
3 My mouth speaks wisdom; my heart's meditation [brings] understanding.
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My mouth shall speak wisdom; the meditation of my heart shall be understanding.
4 I turn my ear to a proverb; I explain my riddle with a lyre.
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I will incline my ear to a proverb; I will solve my riddle to the music of the lyre.
5 Why should I fear in times of trouble? The iniquity of my foes surrounds me.
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Why should I fear in times of trouble, when the iniquity of those who cheat me surrounds me,
6 They trust in their wealth and boast of their abundant riches.
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those who trust in their wealth and boast of the abundance of their riches?
7 Yet these cannot redeem a person or pay his ransom to God-
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Truly no man can ransom another, or give to God the price of his life,
8 since the price of redeeming him is too costly, one should forever stop trying-
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for the ransom of their life is costly and can never suffice,
9 so that he may live forever and not see the Pit.
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that he should live on forever and never see the pit.
10 For one can see that wise men die; the foolish and the senseless also pass away. Then they leave their wealth to others.
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For he sees that even the wise die; the fool and the stupid alike must perish and leave their wealth to others.
11 Their graves are their eternal homes, their homes from generation to generation, though they have named estates after themselves.
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Their graves are their homes forever, their dwelling places to all generations, though they called lands by their own names.
12 But despite [his] assets, man will not last; he is like the animals that perish.
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Man in his pomp will not remain; he is like the beasts that perish.
13 This is the way of those who are arrogant, and of their followers, who approve of their words. Selah
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This is the path of those who have foolish confidence; yet after them people approve of their boasts. Selah
14 Like sheep they are headed for Sheol; Death will shepherd them. The upright will rule over them in the morning, and their form will waste away in Sheol, far from their lofty abode.
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Like sheep they are appointed for Sheol; death shall be their shepherd, and the upright shall rule over them in the morning. Their form shall be consumed in Sheol, with no place to dwell.
15 But God will redeem my life from the power of Sheol, for He will take me. Selah
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But God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol, for he will receive me. Selah
16 Do not be afraid when a man gets rich, when the wealth of his house increases.
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Be not afraid when a man becomes rich, when the glory of his house increases.
17 For when he dies, he will take nothing at all; his wealth will not follow him down.
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For when he dies he will carry nothing away; his glory will not go down after him.
18 Though he praises himself during his lifetime- and people praise you when you do well for yourself-
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For though, while he lives, he counts himself blessed—and though you get praise when you do well for yourself—
19 he will go to the generation of his fathers; they will never see the light.
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his soul will go to the generation of his fathers, who will never again see light.
20 A man with valuable possessions but without understanding is like the animals that perish.
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Man in his pomp yet without understanding is like the beasts that perish.
Holman Christian Standard Bible ® Copyright © 2003, 2002, 2000, 1999 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2025