| New International Version | Holman Christian Standard 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 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 alike: | 2both low and high, rich and poor together. |
| 3My mouth will speak words of wisdom; the meditation of my heart will give you understanding. | 3My mouth speaks wisdom; my heart's meditation brings understanding. |
| 4I will turn my ear to a proverb; with the harp I will expound my riddle: | 4I turn my ear to a proverb; I explain my riddle with a lyre. |
| 5Why should I fear when evil days come, when wicked deceivers surround me-- | 5Why should I fear in times of trouble? The iniquity of my foes surrounds me. |
| 6those who trust in their wealth and boast of their great riches? | 6They trust in their wealth and boast of their abundant riches. |
| 7No one can redeem the life of another or give to God a ransom for them-- | 7Yet these cannot redeem a person or pay his ransom to God-- |
| 8the ransom for a life is costly, no payment is ever enough-- | 8since the price of redeeming him is too costly, one should forever stop trying-- |
| 9so that they should live on forever and not see decay. | 9so that he may live forever and not see the Pit. |
| 10For all can see that the wise die, that the foolish and the senseless also perish, leaving 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 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 homes from generation to generation, though they have named estates after themselves. |
| 12People, despite their wealth, do not endure; they are like the beasts that perish. | 12But despite his assets, man will not last; he is like the animals that perish. |
| 13This is the fate of those who trust in themselves, and of their followers, who approve their sayings. | 13This is the way of those who are arrogant, and of their followers, who approve of their words. 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 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 me from the realm of the dead; he will surely take me to himself. | 15But God will redeem my life from the power of Sheol, for He will take me. Selah |
| 16Do not be overawed when others grow rich, when the splendor of their houses increases; | 16Do not be afraid when a man gets rich, when the wealth 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 take nothing at all; his wealth will not follow him down. |
| 18Though while they live they count themselves blessed-- and people praise you when you prosper-- | 18Though he praises himself during his lifetime-- and people praise you when you do well for yourself-- |
| 19they will join those who have gone before them, who will never again see the light of life. | 19he will go to the generation of his fathers; they will never see the light. |
| 20People who have wealth but lack understanding are like the beasts that perish. | 20A man with valuable possessions but without understanding is like the animals that perish. |
| New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. | Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. |
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