1 To the Chief Musician. A Psalm for the sons of Korah. Hear this, all you peoples; give ear, all inhabitants of the world;
2 both sons of mankind, and sons of man, rich and poor together;
3 my mouth shall speak of wise things; and the thoughts of my heart shall be of understanding.
4 I will bow down my ear to a parable; I will open my dark saying on the harp.
5 Why should I fear in the days of evil, when the perversity of my ambushers will surround me?
6 Those who trust in their wealth, and their many riches, boast themselves.
7 A man cannot at all redeem a brother, nor give to God a ransom for him,
8 for the redemption of their soul is precious, and it ceases forever,
9 yea, he shall yet live forever; he shall never see corruption.
10 For he sees wise men die; likewise the fool and the animal-like ones perish, and leave their wealth to others.
11 Their inward thought is that their houses shall go on forever, and their dwelling-places to all generations; they call their lands after their own names.
12 But man, though high in honor, does not remain; he is like the animals that perish.
13 This way of theirs is their foolishness; yet their followers delight in their sayings. Selah.
14 Like sheep they are appointed to the grave; death shall reign for them; and the upright shall have the rule over them in the morning; and their form is for rotting; the grave is their home.
15 But God will redeem my soul from the hand of the grave; for He will take me. Selah.
16 Be not afraid when one becomes rich, when the glory of his house increases;
17 for when he dies he shall take nothing away; his glory shall not go down after him.
18 For in his life he blessed his soul; yea, they praise you when you do well to yourself.
19 He shall go to the generation of his fathers; they shall never see light.
20 Man in honor, but without understanding, is like the animals; they shall perish.