| | 1 | To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. Hear this, all peoples; Give ear, all inhabitants of the world, | |
| | 2 | Both low and high, Rich and poor together. | |
| | 3 | My mouth shall speak wisdom, And the meditation of my heart shall give understanding. | |
| | 4 | I will incline my ear to a proverb; I will disclose my dark saying on the harp. | |
| | 5 | Why should I fear in the days of evil, When the iniquity at my heels surrounds me? | |
| | 6 | Those who trust in their wealth And boast in the multitude of their riches, | |
| | 7 | None of them can by any means redeem his brother, Nor give to God a ransom for him-- | |
| | 8 | For the redemption of their souls is costly, And it shall cease forever-- | |
| | 9 | That he should continue to live eternally, And not see the Pit. | |
| | 10 | For he sees wise men die; Likewise the fool and the senseless person perish, And leave their wealth to others. | |
| | 11 | Their inner thought is that their houses will last forever, Their dwelling places to all generations; They call their lands after their own names. | |
| | 12 | Nevertheless man, though in honor, does not remain; He is like the beasts that perish. | |
| | 13 | This is the way of those who are foolish, And of their posterity who approve their sayings. Selah | |
| | 14 | Like sheep they are laid in the grave; Death shall feed on them; The upright shall have dominion over them in the morning; And their beauty shall be consumed in the grave, far from their dwelling. | |
| | 15 | But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave, For He shall receive me. Selah | |
| | 16 | Do not be afraid when one becomes rich, When the glory of his house is increased; | |
| | 17 | For when he dies he shall carry nothing away; His glory shall not descend after him. | |
| | 18 | Though while he lives he blesses himself (For men will praise you when you do well for yourself), | |
| | 19 | He shall go to the generation of his fathers; They shall never see light. | |
| | 20 | A man who is in honor, yet does not understand, Is like the beasts that perish. | |
