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1HEAR this, all you peoples;
listen, all who inhabit this world,
2 both low and high,
rich and poor alike.
3 My mouth will speak words of wisdom;
the meditation of my heart will bring understanding.
4 I will incline my ear to a proverb;
I will explain my riddle with the harp.
5 Why should I fear when evil days come,
when I am surrounded by wicked men?
6 They trust in their wealth,
and boast of their abundant riches.
7 Yet none of them can by any means redeem the life of another,
or pay God a ransom for him,
8 for the cost for the redemption of a life is costly,
and no payment can ever suffice,
9 that he should live on forever,
and not see the Pit.
10 For one can see that even wise men die;
foolish and senseless people also perish;
then leave their wealth to others.
11 Their tombs will remain their homes forever,
their dwelling places for endless generations,
though they had named lands after themselves.
12 But man, despite being in honour, does not endure;
he is like the beasts that perish.
13 This is the fate of those who are foolish,
and of their followers, who approve of their sayings. Selah
14 Like sheep they are appointed for Sheol;
death will feed on them.
The upright will have dominion over them in the morning,
for their form will decay away in Sheol.
15 But God will redeem my life from the power of Sheol;
for He will surely take me for Himself. Selah
16 Do not be overcome with awe when others grow 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 lived he counted himself blessed,
and men praise you when you do well for yourself,
19 he will go to the generation of his fathers;
who will never again see the light.
20 A man who has riches, yet has no understanding,
is like the beasts that perish.