For the choir director. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. ¹ Hear this, all peoples;
Give ear, all inhabitants of the world, ² Both low and high,
Rich and poor together. ³ My mouth will speak wisdom,
And the meditation of my heart will be understanding. ⁴ I will incline my ear to a proverb;
I will express my riddle on the harp. ⁵ Why should I fear in days of adversity,
When the iniquity of my foes surrounds me, ⁶ Even those who trust in their wealth
And boast in the abundance of their riches? ⁷ No man can by any means redeem his brother
Or give to God a ransom for him— ⁸ For the redemption of his soul is costly,
And he should cease trying forever— ⁹ That he should live on eternally,
That he should not undergo decay. ¹⁰ For he sees that even wise men die;
The stupid and the senseless alike perish
And leave their wealth to others. ¹¹ Their inner thought is that their houses are forever
And their dwelling places to all generations;
They have called their lands after their own names. ¹² But man in his pomp will not endure;
He is like the beasts that perish. ¹³ This is the way of those who are foolish,
And of those after them who approve their words. Selah. ¹⁴ As sheep they are appointed for Sheol;
Death shall be their shepherd;
And the upright shall rule over them in the morning,
And their form shall be for Sheol to consume
So that they have no habitation. ¹⁵ But God will redeem my soul from the power of Sheol,
For He will receive me. Selah. ¹⁶ Do not be afraid when a man becomes rich,
When the glory of his house is increased; ¹⁷ For when he dies he will carry nothing away;
His glory will not descend after him. ¹⁸ Though while he lives he congratulates himself—
And though men praise you when you do well for yourself— ¹⁹ He shall go to the generation of his fathers;
They will never see the light. ²⁰ Man in his pomp, yet without understanding,
Is like the beasts that perish.