⁰To the choirmaster, of the children of Korah, a psalm.

¹Hear this, all peoples; give ear, all who dwell in the world.

²Both children of humankind and children of men, the rich and the needy together.

³My mouth will speak wisdom, and the meditation of my heart is understanding.

⁴I will bend to a proverb my ear; I will open my riddle with the lyre.

⁵Why should I fear in the days of evil, when the guilt of my heels surrounds me?

⁶Those who trust in their wealth, and boast in the abundance of their riches—

⁷No one can ever ransom a brother, nor give to God his ransom price.

⁸And the ransom of their being is costly, so he must cease forever.

⁹so that he may live on still, to perpetuity, and not see the pit.

¹⁰For one sees it: wise people die, the fool and the brute perish together, and they leave their wealth to others.

¹¹Inwardly, their houses are forever, their dwelling places for generation after generation; they call pieces of ground by their names.

¹²But humankind in honor does not stay the night; he is like the animals—they are cut off.

¹³This is their way, a stupidity to them; and those after them take delight in what their mouths say. Selah.

¹⁴Like a flock they are set for Sheol; Death shepherds them; the upright rule over them in the morning; and their rock is for wearing away, Sheol being from his lofty dwelling.

¹⁵Only God will redeem my being from the hand of Sheol, for he will take me. Selah.

¹⁶Do not fear when someone becomes rich, when the weightiness of his house increases.

¹⁷For in his death he will take nothing; his weightiness will not go down after him.

¹⁸Though he blesses his being in his life—and people praise you when you do well for yourself—

¹⁹He will go to the generation of his fathers; they will never see light.

²⁰Humankind in honor, yet without understanding, is like the animals—they are cut off.