Study Desk

Hear this, all peoples; Listen, all inhabitants of the world,

Hear this, all ye people; give ear, all ye inhabitants of the world:

Both low and high, Rich and poor together.

Both low and high, rich and poor, together.

My mouth will speak wisdom, And the meditation of my heart will be understanding.

My mouth shall speak of wisdom; and the meditation of my heart shall be of understanding.

I will incline my ear to a proverb; I will express my riddle on the harp.

I will incline mine ear to a parable: I will open my dark saying upon the harp.

Why should I fear in days of adversity, When the injustice of those who betray me surrounds me,

Wherefore should I fear in the days of evil, when the iniquity of my heels shall compass me about?

Those who trust in their wealth And boast in the abundance of their riches?

They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches;

No one can by any means redeem another Or give God a ransom for him—

None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him:

For the redemption of his soul is priceless, And he should cease imagining forever—

(For the redemption of their soul is precious, and it ceaseth for ever:)

That he might live on eternally, That he might not undergo decay.

That he should still live for ever, and not see corruption.

For he sees that even wise people die; The foolish and the stupid alike perish And leave their wealth to others.

For he seeth that wise men die, likewise the fool and the brutish person perish, and leave their wealth to others.

Their inner thought is that their houses are forever And their dwelling places to all generations; They have named their lands after their own names.

Their 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.

But man in his splendor will not endure; He is like the animals that perish.

Nevertheless man being in honour abideth not: he is like the beasts that perish.

This is the way of those who are foolish, And of those after them who approve their words. Selah

This their way is their folly: yet their posterity approve their sayings. Selah.

Like sheep they sink down to Sheol; Death will be their shepherd; And the upright will rule over them in the morning, And their form shall be for Sheol to consume So that they have no lofty home.

Like 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.

But God will redeem my soul from the power of Sheol, For He will receive me. Selah

But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave: for he shall receive me. Selah.

Do not be afraid when a person becomes rich, When the splendor of his house is increased;

Be not thou afraid when one is made rich, when the glory of his house is increased;

For when he dies, he will take nothing with him; His wealth will not descend after him.

For when he dieth he shall carry nothing away: his glory shall not descend after him.

Though while he lives he congratulates himself— And though people praise you when you do well for yourself—

Though while he lived he blessed his soul: and men will praise thee, when thou doest well to thyself.

He will go to the generation of his fathers; They will never see the light.

He shall go to the generation of his fathers; they shall never see light.

Mankind in its splendor, yet without understanding, Is like the animals that perish.

Man that is in honour, and understandeth not, is like the beasts that perish.