1 For the Chief Musician. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. Hear this, all you{+} peoples; Give ear, all you{+} inhabitants of this world,
2 Both sons of man and sons of a man Together, rich and poor.
3 My mouth will speak wisdom; And the meditation of my heart will be of understanding.
4 I will incline 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 iniquity at my heels circles me about?
6 Those who trust in their wealth, And boast themselves in the multitude of their riches;
7 None [of them] can by any means redeem his brother, Nor give to God a ransom for him;
8 (For the redemption of their life is costly, And it fails forever;)
9 That he should still live always, That he should not see corruption.
10 For he will see it. Wise men die; The fool and the brutish alike perish, And leave their wealth to others.
11 Their graves are their houses forever, [And] their dwelling-places to all generations; [Even though] they call lands after their own names.
12 But man [being] in honor does not reside: He is like the beasts that perish.
13 This way of theirs is their folly: Yet after them men approve their sayings. Selah.
14 They are appointed as a flock for Sheol; Death will be their shepherd; And the upright will have dominion over them in the morning; And their beauty will be for Sheol to consume, Far away from their lofty home.
15 But God will redeem my soul from the power of Sheol; For he will receive me. Selah.
16 Don't be afraid when one is made rich, When the glory of his house is increased.
17 For when he dies he will carry nothing away; His glory will not descend after him.
18 Though while he lived he blessed his soul (And men praise you, when you do well to yourself,)
19 He will go to the generation of his fathers; They will never see the light.
20 Man who is in honor, and does not understand, Is like the beasts that perish.