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To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. Hear this, all peoples; Give ear, all inhabitants of the world,
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Both low and high, Rich and poor together.
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My mouth shall speak wisdom, And the meditation of my heart shall give understanding.
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I will incline my ear to a proverb; I will disclose my dark saying on the harp.
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Why should I fear in the days of evil, When the iniquity at my heels surrounds me?
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Those who trust in their wealth And boast in the multitude of their riches,
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None of them can by any means redeem his brother, Nor give to God a ransom for him--
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For the redemption of their souls is costly, And it shall cease forever--
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That he should continue to live eternally, And not see the Pit.
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For he sees wise men die; Likewise the fool and the senseless person perish, And leave their wealth to others.
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Their inner thought is that their houses will last forever, Their dwelling places to all generations; They call their lands after their own names.
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Nevertheless man, though in honor, does not remain; He is like the beasts that perish.
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This is the way of those who are foolish, And of their posterity who approve their sayings. Selah
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Like sheep they are laid in the grave; Death shall feed on them; The upright shall have dominion over them in the morning; And their beauty shall be consumed in the grave, far from their dwelling.
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But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave, For He shall receive me. Selah
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Do not be afraid when one becomes rich, When the glory of his house is increased;
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For when he dies he shall carry nothing away; His glory shall not descend after him.
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Though while he lives he blesses himself (For men will praise you when you do well for yourself),
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He shall go to the generation of his fathers; They shall never see light.
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A man who is in honor, yet does not understand, Is like the beasts that perish.