New International Version NIV
World English Bible WEB
1 Hear this, all you peoples; listen, all who live in this world,
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<<For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by the sons of Korah.>> Hear this, all you peoples. Listen, all you inhabitants of the world,
2 both low and high, rich and poor alike:
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Both low and high, 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 mouth will speak words of wisdom. My heart shall utter understanding.
4 I will turn my ear to a proverb; with the harp I will expound my riddle:
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I will incline my ear to a proverb. I will open my riddle on the harp.
5 Why should I fear when evil days come, when wicked deceivers surround me—
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Why should I fear in the days of evil, When iniquity at my heels surrounds me?
6 those who trust in their wealth and boast of their great riches?
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Those who trust in their wealth, And boast in the multitude of their riches --
7 No one can redeem the life of another or give to God a ransom for them—
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None of them can by any means redeem his brother, Nor give God a ransom for him.
8 the ransom for a life is costly, no payment is ever enough—
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For the redemption of their life is costly, No payment is ever enough,
9 so that they should live on forever and not see decay.
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That he should live on forever, That he should not see corruption.
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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For he sees that wise men die; Likewise the fool and the senseless perish, And leave their wealth to others.
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 inward thought is, that their houses will endure forever, And their dwelling places to all generations. They name their lands after themselves.
12 People, despite their wealth, do not endure; they are like the beasts that perish.
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But man, despite his riches, doesn't endure. He is like the animals that perish.
13 This is the fate of those who trust in themselves, and of their followers, who approve their sayings.
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This is the destiny of those who are foolish, And of those who approve their sayings. Selah.
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 appointed as a flock for Sheol. Death shall be their shepherd. The upright shall have dominion over them in the morning. Their beauty shall decay in Sheol, Far from their mansion.
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 redeem my soul from the power of Sheol, For he will receive me. Selah.
16 Do not be overawed when others grow rich, when the splendor of their houses increases;
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Don't be afraid when a man is made rich, When the glory of his house is increased.
17 for they will take nothing with them when they die, their splendor will not descend with them.
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For when he dies he shall carry nothing away. His glory shall not descend after him.
18 Though while they live they count themselves blessed— and people praise you when you prosper—
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Though while he lived he blessed his soul -- And men praise you when you do well for yourself --
19 they will join those who have gone before them, who will never again see the light of life.
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He shall go to the generation of his fathers. They shall never see the light.
20 People who have wealth but lack understanding are like the beasts that perish.
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A man who has riches without understanding, Is like the animals that perish.