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¹ Hear these words, all ye nations, hearken, all ye that dwell upon the earth: ² both the sons of mean men, and sons of great men; the rich and poor man together. ³ My mouth shall speak of wisdom; and the meditation of my heart shall bring forth understanding. ⁴ I will incline mine ear to a parable: I will open my riddle on the harp. ⁵ Wherefore should I fear in the evil day? the iniquity of my heel shall compass me.

⁶ They that trust in their strength, and boast themselves in the multitude of their wealth— ⁷ A brother does not redeem, shall a man redeem? he shall not give to God a ransom for himself, ⁸ or the price of the redemption of his soul, though he labour for ever, ⁹ and live to the end, so that he should not see corruption. ¹⁰ When he shall see wise men dying, the fool and the senseless one shall perish together; and they shall leave their wealth to strangers. ¹¹ And their sepulchres are their houses for ever, even their tabernacles to all generations: they have called their lands after their own names. ¹² And man being in honour, understands not: he is compared to the senseless cattle, and is like to them. ¹³ This their way is an offence to them: yet afterwards men will commend their sayings. Pause. ¹⁴ They have laid them as sheep in Hades; death shall feed on them; and the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning, and their help shall fail in Hades from their glory.

¹⁵ But God shall deliver my soul from the power of Hades, when he shall receive me. Pause. ¹⁶ Fear not when a man is enriched, and when the glory of his house is increased. ¹⁷ For he shall take nothing when he dies; neither shall his glory descend with him. ¹⁸ For his soul shall be blessed in his life: he shall give thanks to thee when thou dost well to him. ¹⁹ Yet he shall go in to the generation of his fathers; he shall never see light. ²⁰ Man that is in honour, understands not: he is compared to the senseless cattle, and is like them.