1 To the Chief Musician. A Psalm for the sons of Korah. Hear this, all you peoples; give ear, all inhabitants of the world;

2 both sons of mankind, and sons of man, rich and poor together;

3 my mouth shall speak of wise things; and the thoughts of my heart [shall be] of understanding.

4 I will bow down my ear to a parable; I will open my dark saying on the harp.

5 Why should I fear in the days of evil, [when] the perversity of my ambushers will surround me?

6 Those who trust in their wealth, and their many riches, boast themselves.

7 A man cannot at all redeem a brother, nor give to God a ransom for him,

8 for the redemption of their soul [is] precious, and it ceases forever,

9 yea, he shall yet live forever; he shall never see corruption.

10 For he sees wise men die; likewise the fool and the animal-like ones perish, and leave their wealth to others.

11 Their 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.

12 But man, though high in honor, does not remain; he is like the animals [that] perish.

13 This way of theirs [is] their foolishness; yet their followers delight in their sayings. Selah.

14 Like 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.

15 But God will redeem my soul from the hand of the grave; for He will take me. Selah.

16 Be not afraid when one becomes rich, when the glory of his house increases;

17 for when he dies he shall take nothing away; his glory shall not go down after him.

18 For in his life he blessed his soul; yea, they praise you when you do well to yourself.

19 He shall go to the generation of his fathers; they shall never see light.

20 Man in honor, but without understanding, is like the animals; they shall perish.