1Hear this, all you peoples;

give ear, all inhabitants of the world,*

2both low and high,

rich and poor together.

3My mouth shall speak wisdom;

the meditation of my heart shall be understanding.*

4I will incline my ear to a proverb;

I will solve my riddle to the music of the harp.*

5Why should I fear in times of trouble,

when the iniquity of my persecutors surrounds me,*

6those who trust in their wealth

and boast of the abundance of their riches?*

7Truly, no ransom avails for one’s life;p

there is no price one can give to God for it.*

8For the ransom of life is costly

and can never suffice,*

9that one should live on forever

and never see the Pit.*

10When we look at the wise, they die;

fool and dolt perish together

and leave their wealth to others.*

11Their gravesq are their homes forever,

their dwelling places to all generations,

though they named lands their own.*

12Mortals cannot abide in their pomp;

they are like the animals that perish.*

13Such is the fate of the foolhardy,

the end of thoser who are pleased with their lot.   Selah*

14Like sheep they are appointed for Sheol;

Death shall be their shepherd;

straight to the grave they descend,s

and their form shall waste away;

Sheol shall be their home.t^,*

15But God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol,

for he will receive me.   Selah*

16Do not be afraid when some become rich,

when the wealth of their houses increases.*

17For when they die they will carry nothing away;

their wealth will not go down after them.*

18Though in their lifetime they count themselves happy

—for you are praised when you do well for yourself—*

19theyu will go to the company of their ancestors,

who will never again see the light.*

20Mortals cannot abide in their pomp;

they are like the animals that perish.*