New Living Translation NLT
Common English Bible CEB
1 Listen to this, all you people! Pay attention, everyone in the world!
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Listen to this, all you people! Listen closely, all you citizens of the world—
2 High and low, rich and poor—listen!
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people of every kind, rich and poor alike!
3 For my words are wise, and my thoughts are filled with insight.
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My mouth speaks wisdom; my heart's meditation is full of insight.
4 I listen carefully to many proverbs and solve riddles with inspiration from a harp.
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I will pay close attention to a proverb; I will explain my riddle on the lyre.
5 Why should I fear when trouble comes, when enemies surround me?
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Why should I be afraid in times of trouble, when the wrongdoing of my bullies engulfs me—
6 They trust in their wealth and boast of great riches.
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those people who trust in their fortunes and boast of their fantastic wealth?
7 Yet they cannot redeem themselves from death by paying a ransom to God.
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Wealth? It can't save a single person! It can't pay a life's ransom-price to God.
8 Redemption does not come so easily, for no one can ever pay enough
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The price to save someone's life is too high— wealth will never be enough—
9 to live forever and never see the grave.
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no one can live forever without experiencing the pit.
10 Those who are wise must finally die, just like the foolish and senseless, leaving all their wealth behind.
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Everyone knows that the wise die too, just like foolish and stupid people do, all of them leaving their fortunes to others.
11 The grave is their eternal home, where they will stay forever. They may name their estates after themselves,
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Their graves are their eternal homes, the place they live for all generations, even if they had counties named after them!
12 but their fame will not last. They will die, just like animals.
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People won't live any longer because of wealth; they're just like the animals that pass away.
13 This is the fate of fools, though they are remembered as being wise. Interlude
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That's how it goes for those who are foolish, as well as for those who follow their lead, pleased with their talk. Selah
14 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.
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Like sheep, they're headed straight for the grave. Death will be their shepherd— but those who do right in their hearts will rule over them come morning!— their forms wasting away in the grave rather than having some dignified residence.
15 But as for me, God will redeem my life. He will snatch me from the power of the grave. Interlude
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But God will save my life from the power of the grave, because he will take me. Selah
16 So don’t be dismayed when the wicked grow rich and their homes become ever more splendid.
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Don't be overly impressed when someone becomes rich, their house swelling to fantastic proportions,
17 For when they die, they take nothing with them. Their wealth will not follow them into the grave.
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because when they die, they won't take any of it with them. Their fantastic things won't accompany them down under.
18 In this life they consider themselves fortunate and are applauded for their success.
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Though they consider themselves blessed during their lives, and even thank you when you deal well with them,
19 But they will die like all before them and never again see the light of day.
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they too will join the ancestors who've gone ahead; they too will never see the light again.
20 People who boast of their wealth don’t understand; they will die, just like animals.
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Wealthy people? They just don't understand; they're just like the animals that pass away.
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.
Copyright © 2011 Common English Bible