Read the Bible

¹ Listen to this, all you nations!
Pay attention, all you inhabitants of the world!
² Pay attention, all you people,
both rich and poor!
³ I will declare a wise saying;
I will share my profound thoughts.
⁴ I will learn a song that imparts wisdom;
I will then sing my insightful song to the accompaniment of a harp.
⁵ Why should I be afraid in times of trouble,
when the sinful deeds of deceptive men threaten to overwhelm me?
⁶ They trust in their wealth
and boast in their great riches.
⁷ Certainly a man cannot rescue his brother;
he cannot pay God an adequate ransom price
⁸ (the ransom price for a human life is too high,
and people go to their final destiny),
⁹ so that he might continue to live forever
and not experience death.
¹⁰ Surely one sees that even wise people die;
fools and spiritually insensitive people all pass away
and leave their wealth to others.
¹¹ Their grave becomes their permanent residence,
their eternal dwelling place.
They name their lands after themselves,
¹² but, despite their wealth, people do not last,
they are like animals that perish.
¹³ This is the destiny of fools,
and of those who approve of their philosophy. (Selah)
¹⁴ They will travel to Sheol like sheep,
with death as their shepherd.
The godly will rule over them when the day of vindication dawns;
Sheol will consume their bodies and they will no longer live in impressive houses.
¹⁵ But God will rescue my life from the power of Sheol;
certainly he will pull me to safety. (Selah)
¹⁶ Do not be afraid when a man becomes rich
and his wealth multiplies!
¹⁷ For he will take nothing with him when he dies;
his wealth will not follow him down into the grave.
¹⁸ He pronounces this blessing on himself while he is alive:
"May men praise you, for you have done well!"
¹⁹ But he will join his ancestors;
they will never again see the light of day.
²⁰ Wealthy people do not understand;
they are like animals that perish.