1Hear these words, all you⌃ nations, listen, all you⌃ that dwell upon the earth:

2both the ⁸⁸sons of mean men, and sons of great men; the rich and poor man together.

3My mouth shall speak of wisdom; and the meditation of my heart shall bring forth understanding.

4I will incline my ear to a parable: I will open my ⁸⁹riddle on the harp.

5Therefore ⁹⁰should I fear in the evil day? the iniquity of my heel shall compass me.

6They that trust in their strength, and boast themselves in the multitude of their wealth—

7A brother does not redeem, shall a man redeem? he shall not give to God a ransom for himself,

8or the price of the redemption of his soul, though he labor for ever,

9and live to the end, so that he should not see corruption.

10When he shall see wise men dying, the fool and the senseless one shall perish together; and they shall leave their wealth to strangers.

11And their sepulchres are their houses for ever, even their tabernacles to all generations: they have called their lands after their own names.

12And man being in honor, understands not: he is compared to the senseless cattle, and is like to them.

13This their way is an offense to them: yet afterwards men will commend their sayings. Pause.

14They have laid them as sheep in Hades; death shall feed on them; and the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning, and their help shall fail in Hades from their glory.

15But God shall deliver my soul from the power of Hades, when he shall receive me. Pause.

16Fear not when a man is enriched, and when the glory of his house is increased.

17For he shall take nothing when he dies; neither shall his glory descend with him.

18For his soul shall be blessed in his life: he shall give thanks to you when you do well to him.

19Yet he shall go in ⁹¹to the generation of his fathers; he shall never see light.

20Man that is in honor, understands not: he is compared to the senseless cattle, and is like them.