1 For the leader. A psalm of the
descendants of Korach: Hear this, all you peoples! Listen, everyone living on
earth,
2 regardless of whether low or high,
regardless of whether rich or poor!
3 My mouth is about to speak wisdom; my
heart's deepest thoughts will give understanding.
4 I will listen with care to [God's]
parable, I will set my enigma to the music of the lyre.
5 Why should I fear when the days bring
trouble, when the evil of my pursuers surrounds me,
6 the evil of those who rely on their
wealth and boast how rich they are?
7 No one can ever redeem his brother or
give God a ransom for him,
8 because the price for him is too high
(leave the idea completely alone!)
9 to have him live on eternally and
never see the pit.
10 For he can see that wise men will
die, likewise the fool and the brute will perish and leave their wealth to
others.
11 They think their homes will last
forever, their dwellings through all generations; they give their own names to
their estates.
12 But people, even rich ones, will
live only briefly; then, like animals, they will die.
13 This is the manner of life of the
foolish and those who come after, approving their words. (Selah)
14 Like sheep, they are destined for
Sh'ol; death will be their shepherd. The upright will rule them in the
morning; and their forms will waste away in Sh'ol, until they need no
dwelling.
15 But God will redeem me from Sh'ol's
control, because he will receive me. (Selah)
16 Don't be afraid when someone gets
rich, when the wealth of his family grows.
17 For when he dies, he won't take it
with him; his wealth will not go down after him.
18 True, while he lived, he thought
himself happy people praise you when you do well for yourself
19 but he will join his ancestors'
generations and never again see light.
20 People, even rich ones, can fail to
grasp that, like animals, they will die.
