For the Musical Director.
A Psalm of the sons of Korah.
1Hear this, all you peoples. Listen, all you inhabitants of the world,
2both low and high, rich and poor together.
3My mouth will speak words of wisdom. My heart will utter understanding.
4I will incline my ear to a proverb. I will open my riddle on the harp.
5Why should I fear in the days of evil, when the iniquity of those who deceive me surrounds me?
6Those who trust in their wealth, and boast in the multitude of their riches–
7none of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give God a ransom for him.
8For the redemption of their life is costly; no payment is ever enough,
9so that he could live on forever; so that he would not see the pit.
10For he sees that wise men die; likewise the fool and the senseless perish, and leave their wealth to others.
11Their inward thought is that their houses will endure forever, and their dwelling places to all generations, although they had named their lands after themselves.
12But man, despite his riches, does not endure. He is like the animals that perish.
13This is the destiny of those who are foolish and of those who approve their sayings. Selah.
14They are appointed as a flock for Sheol. Death will be their shepherd. The upright will have dominion over them in the morning. Their beauty will decay in Sheol, far from God’s lofty habitation.
15But God will redeem my soul from the power of Sheol, for he will take me from the grave. Selah.
16Do not be afraid when a man is made rich, when the glory of his house is increased.
17For when he dies he will carry nothing away. His glory will not descend after him.
18Though while he lived he blessed his soul– and people praise you when you do well for yourself–
19he will go to the generation of his fathers. They will never see the light.
20A man who has riches without understanding, is like the animals that perish.
REV Bible
