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