| New International Version | Berean Study Bible |
| 1For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm. Hear this, all you peoples; listen, all who live in this world, | 1For the choirmaster. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. Hear this, all you peoples; listen, all inhabitants of the world, |
| 2both low and high, rich and poor alike: | 2both low and high, rich and poor alike. |
| 3My mouth will speak words of wisdom; the meditation of my heart will give you understanding. | 3My mouth will impart wisdom, and the meditation of my heart will bring understanding. |
| 4I will turn my ear to a proverb; with the harp I will expound my riddle: | 4I will incline my ear to a proverb; I will express my riddle with the harp: |
| 5Why should I fear when evil days come, when wicked deceivers surround me-- | 5Why should I fear in times of trouble, when wicked usurpers surround me? |
| 6those who trust in their wealth and boast of their great riches? | 6They trust in their wealth and boast in their great riches. |
| 7No one can redeem the life of another or give to God a ransom for them-- | 7No man can possibly redeem his brother or pay his ransom to God. |
| 8the ransom for a life is costly, no payment is ever enough-- | 8For the redemption of his soul is costly, and never can payment suffice, |
| 9so that they should live on forever and not see decay. | 9that he should live on forever and not see decay. |
| 10For all can see that the wise die, that the foolish and the senseless also perish, leaving their wealth to others. | 10For it is clear that wise men die, and the foolish and the senseless both perish and leave their wealth to others. |
| 11Their tombs will remain their houses forever, their dwellings for endless generations, though they had named lands after themselves. | 11Their graves are their eternal homes—their dwellings for endless generations—even though their lands were their namesakes. |
| 12People, despite their wealth, do not endure; they are like the beasts that perish. | 12But a man, despite his wealth, cannot endure; he is like the beasts that perish. |
| 13This is the fate of those who trust in themselves, and of their followers, who approve their sayings. | 13This is the fate of the self-confident and their followers who endorse their sayings. Selah |
| 14They are like sheep and are destined to die; death will be their shepherd (but the upright will prevail over them in the morning). Their forms will decay in the grave, far from their princely mansions. | 14Like sheep they are destined for Sheol. Death will be their shepherd. The upright will rule them in the morning, and their form will decay in Sheol, far from their lofty abode. |
| 15But God will redeem me from the realm of the dead; he will surely take me to himself. | 15But God will redeem my life from Sheol, for He will surely take me to Himself. Selah |
| 16Do not be overawed when others grow rich, when the splendor of their houses increases; | 16Do not be amazed when a man grows rich, when the splendor of his house increases. |
| 17for they will take nothing with them when they die, their splendor will not descend with them. | 17For when he dies, he will carry nothing away; his abundance will not follow him down. |
| 18Though while they live they count themselves blessed-- and people praise you when you prosper-- | 18Though in his lifetime he blesses his soul—and men praise you when you prosper— |
| 19they will join those who have gone before them, who will never again see the light of life. | 19he will join the generation of his fathers, who will never see the light of day. |
| 20People who have wealth but lack understanding are like the beasts that perish. | 20A man who has riches without understanding is like the beasts that perish. |
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