New International Version NIV
Good News Translation GNT
1 Hear this, all you peoples; listen, all who live in this world,
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Hear this, everyone! Listen, all people everywhere,
2 both low and high, rich and poor alike:
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great and small alike, rich and poor together.
3 My mouth will speak words of wisdom; the meditation of my heart will give you understanding.
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My thoughts will be clear; I will speak words of wisdom.
4 I will turn my ear to a proverb; with the harp I will expound my riddle:
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I will turn my attention to proverbs and explain their meaning as I play the harp.
5 Why should I fear when evil days come, when wicked deceivers surround me—
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I am not afraid in times of danger when I am surrounded by enemies,
6 those who trust in their wealth and boast of their great riches?
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by evil people who trust in their riches and boast of their great wealth.
7 No one can redeem the life of another or give to God a ransom for them—
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We can never redeem ourselves; we cannot pay God the price for our lives,
8 the ransom for a life is costly, no payment is ever enough—
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because the payment for a human life is too great. What we could pay would never be enough
9 so that they should live on forever and not see decay.
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to keep us from the grave, to let us live forever.
10 For all can see that the wise die, that the foolish and the senseless also perish, leaving their wealth to others.
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Anyone can see that even the wise die, as well as the foolish and stupid. They all leave their riches to their descendants.
11 Their tombs will remain their houses forever, their dwellings for endless generations, though they had named lands after themselves.
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Their graves are their homes forever; there they stay for all time, though they once had lands of their own.
12 People, despite their wealth, do not endure; they are like the beasts that perish.
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Our greatness cannot keep us from death; we will still die like the animals.
13 This is the fate of those who trust in themselves, and of their followers, who approve their sayings.
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See what happens to those who trust in themselves, the fate of those who are satisfied with their wealth -
14 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.
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they are doomed to die like sheep, and Death will be their shepherd. The righteous will triumph over them, as their bodies quickly decay in the world of the dead far from their homes.
15 But God will redeem me from the realm of the dead; he will surely take me to himself.
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But God will rescue me; he will save me from the power of death.
16 Do not be overawed when others grow rich, when the splendor of their houses increases;
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Don't be upset when someone becomes rich, when his wealth grows even greater;
17 for they will take nothing with them when they die, their splendor will not descend with them.
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he cannot take it with him when he dies; his wealth will not go with him to the grave.
18 Though while they live they count themselves blessed— and people praise you when you prosper—
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Even if someone is satisfied with this life and is praised because he is successful,
19 they will join those who have gone before them, who will never again see the light of life.
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he will join all his ancestors in death, where the darkness lasts forever.
20 People who have wealth but lack understanding are like the beasts that perish.
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Our greatness cannot keep us from death; we will still die like the animals.
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.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.