Parallel Verses
Bible in Basic English
Truly men of low birth are nothing, and men of high position are not what they seem; if they are put in the scales together they are less than a breath.
New American Standard Bible
In the
They are together lighter than breath.
King James Version
Surely men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are a lie: to be laid in the balance, they are altogether lighter than vanity.
Holman Bible
exalted men, an illusion.
Weighed in the scales, they go up;
together they are less than a vapor.
International Standard Version
Human beings are a mere vapor, while people in high positions are not what they appear. When they are placed on the scales, they weigh nothing; even when weighed together, they are less than nothing.
A Conservative Version
Surely men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are a lie. In the balances they will go up. They are together lighter than vanity.
American Standard Version
Surely men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are a lie: In the balances they will go up; They are together lighter than vanity.
Amplified
Men of low degree are only a breath (emptiness), and men of [high] rank are a lie (delusion).
In the balances they go up [because they have no measurable weight or value];
They are together lighter than a breath.
Darby Translation
Men of low degree are only vanity; men of high degree, a lie: laid in the balance, they go up together lighter than vanity.
Julia Smith Translation
Surely the sons of man vanity, the sons of man falsehood: to be brought up into the balances, they together of vanity.
King James 2000
Surely men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are a lie: if laid on the balance, they are altogether lighter than vanity.
Lexham Expanded Bible
Only a vapor [are] men of low degree, a deception [are] men of high degree. {Weighed} in a balance, together they [are lighter] than a vapor.
Modern King James verseion
Surely the sons of men are vanity; the sons of men are a lie; they go up in the scales; they are altogether lighter than vanity.
Modern Spelling Tyndale-Coverdale
As for men they are but vanity; the children of men are deceitful. Upon the weights they are altogether lighter than vanity itself.
NET Bible
Men are nothing but a mere breath; human beings are unreliable. When they are weighed in the scales, all of them together are lighter than air.
New Heart English Bible
Surely men of low degree are just a breath, and men of high degree are a lie. In the balances they will go up. They are together lighter than a breath.
The Emphasized Bible
Surely, vanity, are men of low degree, Deception, men of high degree, - In the balances, they go up, They, are made of vanity, altogether.
Webster
Surely men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are a lie: to be laid in the balance, they are altogether lighter than vanity.
World English Bible
Surely men of low degree are just a breath, and men of high degree are a lie. In the balances they will go up. They are together lighter than a breath.
Youngs Literal Translation
Only -- vanity are the low, a lie the high. In balances to go up they than vanity are lighter.
Themes
Emptiness » Emptiness or vanity of the worldly life (ps 3911; 629)
Word Count of 20 Translations in Psalm 62:9
Verse Info
Context Readings
Trust In God Alone
8 Have faith in him at all times, you people; let your hearts go flowing out before him: God is our safe place. (Selah.) 9 Truly men of low birth are nothing, and men of high position are not what they seem; if they are put in the scales together they are less than a breath. 10 Have no faith in the rewards of evil-doing, or in profits wrongly made: if your wealth is increased, do not put your hopes on it.
Names
Cross References
Psalm 39:5
You have made my days no longer than a hand's measure; and my years are nothing in your eyes; truly, every man is but a breath. (Selah.)
Isaiah 40:15
See, the nations are to him like a drop hanging from a bucket, and like the small dust in the scales: he takes up the islands like small dust.
Isaiah 40:17
All the nations are as nothing before him; even less than nothing, a thing of no value.
Psalm 39:11
By the weight of your wrath against man's sin, the glory of his form is wasted away; truly every man is but a breath. (Selah.)
1 Samuel 18:5
And David went wherever Saul sent him, and did wisely: and Saul put him at the head of his men of war, and this was pleasing to all the people as well as to Saul's servants.
1 Samuel 18:7
And the women, answering one another in their song, said, Saul has put to death his thousands and David his tens of thousands.
1 Samuel 18:21-26
And Saul said, I will give her to him, so that she may be a cause of danger to him, and so that the hands of the Philistines may be against him. So Saul said to David, Today you are to become my son-in-law for the second time.
1 Samuel 23:12
Then David said, Will the men of Keilah give me and my men up to Saul? and the Lord said, They will give you up.
1 Samuel 23:19-20
Then the Ziphites came up to Gibeah to see Saul, and said, Is not David living secretly among us in the strong places in Horesh, in the hill of Hachilah to the south of the waste land
1 Samuel 26:21-25
Then Saul said, I have done wrong: come back to me, David my son: I will do you no more wrong, because my life was dear to you today truly, I have been foolish and my error is very great.
2 Samuel 15:6
And this Absalom did to everyone in Israel who came to the king to have his cause judged: so Absalom, like a thief, took away the hearts of the men of Israel.
2 Samuel 15:31
And word came to David, saying, Ahithophel is among those who are joined to Absalom. And David said, O Lord, let the wisdom of Ahithophel be made foolish.
Psalm 55:13-14
But it was you, my equal, my guide, my well-loved friend.
Psalm 116:11
Though I said in my fear, All men are false.
Psalm 118:9
It is better to have faith in the Lord than to put one's hope in rulers.
Daniel 5:27
Tekel; you have been put in the scales and seen to be under weight.
Matthew 21:9
And those who went before him, and those who came after, gave loud cries, saying, Glory to the Son of David: A blessing on him who comes in the name of the Lord: Glory in the highest.
John 19:15
Then they gave a loud cry, Away with him! away with him! to the cross! Pilate said to them, Am I to put your King to death on the cross? The chief priests said in answer, We have no king but Caesar.
Romans 3:4
In no way: but let God be true, though every man is seen to be untrue; as it is said in the Writings, That your words may be seen to be true, and you may be seen to be right when you are judged.