| Holman Christian Standard Bible | International Standard Version |
| 1For the choir director. A psalm of the sons of Korah. Hear this, all you peoples; listen, all who inhabit the world, | 1Listen to this, all you people! Pay attention, all you who live in the world, |
| 2both low and high, rich and poor together. | 2both average people and those of means, the rich and the poor together. |
| 3My mouth speaks wisdom; my heart's meditation brings understanding. | 3My mouth will speak wisely, and I will understand what I think about. |
| 4I turn my ear to a proverb; I explain my riddle with a lyre. | 4I will focus my attention on a proverb; I will use the harp to expound my riddle. |
| 5Why should I fear in times of trouble? The iniquity of my foes surrounds me. | 5Why should I be afraid when evil days come my way, when the wickedness of those who deceive me surrounds me— |
| 6They trust in their wealth and boast of their abundant riches. | 6those who put confidence in their wealth and boast about their great riches? |
| 7Yet these cannot redeem a person or pay his ransom to God-- | 7No man can redeem the life of another, nor can he give to God a sufficient payment for him— |
| 8since the price of redeeming him is too costly, one should forever stop trying-- | 8for it would cost too much to redeem his life, and the payments would go on forever— |
| 9so that he may live forever and not see the Pit. | 9that he should go on living and not see corruption. |
| 10For one can see that wise men die; foolish and stupid men also pass away. Then they leave their wealth to others. | 10Indeed, he will see wise people die; the stupid and the senseless will meet their doom and leave their wealth to others. |
| 11Their graves are their eternal homes, their homes from generation to generation, though they have named estates after themselves. | 11Their inner thoughts are on their homes forever; their dwellings from generation to generation. They even name their lands after themselves. |
| 12But despite his assets, man will not last; he is like the animals that perish. | 12But humanity cannot last, despite its conceit; it will pass away just like the animals. |
| 13This is the way of those who are arrogant, and of their followers, who approve of their words. Selah | 13This is the fate of those who are foolish and of those who correct their words after they speak. Interlude |
| 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. | 14Like sheep, they are destined for the realm of the dead, with death as their shepherd. The upright will have dominion over them in the morning; their strength will be consumed in the afterlife, so that they have no home. |
| 15But God will redeem my life from the power of Sheol, for He will take me. Selah | 15God will truly redeem me from the power of Sheol. He will surely receive me! Interlude |
| 16Do not be afraid when a man gets rich, when the wealth of his house increases. | 16Don't be afraid when someone gets rich, when the glory of his household increases. |
| 17For when he dies, he will take nothing at all; his wealth will not follow him down. | 17When he dies, he will not be able to take it all with him — his possessions will not follow him to the grave, |
| 18Though he praises himself during his lifetime-- and people praise you when you do well for yourself-- | 18although he considers himself blessed while he's alive. Though people praise you for doing well, |
| 19he will go to the generation of his fathers; they will never see the light. | 19you will end up like your ancestors' generation, never again to see the light of day! |
| 20A man with valuable possessions but without understanding is like the animals that perish. | 20Humanity, despite its conceit, does not understand that it will perish, just like the animals. |
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