| King James Bible | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1To the chief Musician, A Psalm for the sons of Korah. Hear this, all ye people; give ear, all ye inhabitants of the world: | 1For the choir director. A psalm of the sons of Korah. Hear this, all you peoples; listen, all who inhabit the world, |
| 2Both low and high, rich and poor, together. | 2both low and high, rich and poor together. |
| 3My mouth shall speak of wisdom; and the meditation of my heart shall be of understanding. | 3My mouth speaks wisdom; my heart's meditation brings understanding. |
| 4I will incline mine ear to a parable: I will open my dark saying upon the harp. | 4I turn my ear to a proverb; I explain my riddle with a lyre. |
| 5Wherefore should I fear in the days of evil, when the iniquity of my heels shall compass me about? | 5Why should I fear in times of trouble? The iniquity of my foes surrounds me. |
| 6They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches; | 6They trust in their wealth and boast of their abundant riches. |
| 7None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him: | 7Yet these cannot redeem a person or pay his ransom to God-- |
| 8(For the redemption of their soul is precious, and it ceaseth for ever:) | 8since the price of redeeming him is too costly, one should forever stop trying-- |
| 9That he should still live for ever, and not see corruption. | 9so that he may live forever and not see the Pit. |
| 10For he seeth that wise men die, likewise the fool and the brutish person perish, and leave their wealth to others. | 10For one can see that wise men die; foolish and stupid men also pass away. Then they leave their wealth to others. |
| 11Their inward thought is, that their houses shall continue for ever, and their dwelling places to all generations; they call their lands after their own names. | 11Their graves are their eternal homes, their homes from generation to generation, though they have named estates after themselves. |
| 12Nevertheless man being in honour abideth not: he is like the beasts that perish. | 12But despite his assets, man will not last; he is like the animals that perish. |
| 13This their way is their folly: yet their posterity approve their sayings. Selah. | 13This is the way of those who are arrogant, and of their followers, who approve of their words. Selah |
| 14Like sheep they are laid in the grave; death shall feed on them; and the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning; and their beauty shall consume in the grave from their dwelling. | 14Like sheep they are headed for Sheol; Death will shepherd them. The upright will rule over them in the morning, and their form will waste away in Sheol, far from their lofty abode. |
| 15But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave: for he shall receive me. Selah. | 15But God will redeem my life from the power of Sheol, for He will take me. Selah |
| 16Be not thou afraid when one is made rich, when the glory of his house is increased; | 16Do not be afraid when a man gets rich, when the wealth of his house increases. |
| 17For when he dieth he shall carry nothing away: his glory shall not descend after him. | 17For when he dies, he will take nothing at all; his wealth will not follow him down. |
| 18Though while he lived he blessed his soul: and men will praise thee, when thou doest well to thyself. | 18Though he praises himself during his lifetime-- and people praise you when you do well for yourself-- |
| 19He shall go to the generation of his fathers; they shall never see light. | 19he will go to the generation of his fathers; they will never see the light. |
| 20Man that is in honour, and understandeth not, is like the beasts that perish. | 20A man with valuable possessions but without understanding is like the animals that perish. |
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