Psalms

Hear this, all you peoples; listen, all who live in this world,

both low and high, rich and poor alike.

My mouth will speak words of wisdom; the meditation of my heart will give understanding.

I will turn my ear to a proverb; with the harp I will expound my riddle:

Why should I fear when evil days come, when wicked deceivers surround me,

those who trust in their wealth and boast of their great riches?

No man can redeem the life of another or give to God a ransom for him,

the ransom for a life is costly, no payment is ever enough,

so that they should live on for ever and not see decay.

For all can see that the wise die, that the foolish and the senseless also perish, leaving their wealth to others.

Their tombs will remain their houses for ever, their dwellings for endless generations, though they had named lands after themselves.

But man in his pomp does not endure; he is like the beasts that perish.

This is the fate of those who trust in themselves, and of their followers, who approve their sayings. Selah.

They are like sheep and are destined for the grave; death will be their shepherd. The upright will rule over them in the morning; their forms will decay in the grave, far from their princely mansions.

But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave; he will surely take me to himself. Selah.

Do not be overawed when others grow rich, when the splendour of their houses increases;

for they will take nothing with them when they die, their splendour will not descend with them.

Though while they lived they counted themselves blessed, and people praise you when you prosper,

they will join the generation of their ancestors, who will never again see the light of life.

A man who has riches but lacks understanding is like the beasts that perish.