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¹ To the choirmaster. A Psalm of the Sons of Korah. Hear this, all peoples! Give ear, all inhabitants of the world,² both low and high, rich and poor together!³ My mouth shall speak wisdom; the meditation of my heart shall be understanding.⁴ I will incline my ear to a proverb; I will solve my riddle to the music of the lyre.⁵ Why should I fear in times of trouble, when the iniquity of my persecutors surrounds me,

⁶ men who trust in their wealth and boast of the abundance of their riches?⁷ Truly no man can ransom himself, or give to God the price of his life,⁸ for the ransom of his life is costly, and can never suffice,⁹ that he should continue to live on for ever, and never see the Pit.¹⁰ Yea, he shall see that even the wise die, the fool and the stupid alike must perish and leave their wealth to others.¹¹ Their graves are their homes for ever, their dwelling places to all generations, though they named lands their own.¹² Man cannot abide in his pomp, he is like the beasts that perish.¹³ This is the fate of those who have foolish confidence, the end of those who are pleased with their portion. [Selah]¹⁴ Like sheep they are appointed for Sheol; Death shall be their shepherd; straight to the grave they descend, and their form shall waste away; Sheol shall be their home.

¹⁵ But God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol, for he will receive me. [Selah]¹⁶ Be not afraid when one becomes rich, when the glory of his house increases.¹⁷ For when he dies he will carry nothing away; his glory will not go down after him.¹⁸ Though, while he lives, he counts himself happy, and though a man gets praise when he does well for himself,¹⁹ he will go to the generation of his fathers, who will never more see the light.²⁰ Man cannot abide in his pomp, he is like the beasts that perish.