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Hear this, all peoples;
Give ear, all inhabitants of the world,
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Both low and high,
Rich and poor together.
3
My mouth shall speak wisdom,
And the meditation of my heart shall give understanding.
4
I will incline my ear to a proverb;
I will disclose my 1 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 a 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 b give to God a ransom for him -
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For c the redemption of their souls is costly,
And it shall cease forever -
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That he should continue to live eternally,
And d not 2 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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3 Their inner thought is that their houses will last forever,
Their dwelling places to all generations;
They e call their lands after their own names.
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Nevertheless man, though in honor, does not 4 remain;
He is like the beasts that perish.
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This is the way of those who are f 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;
g The upright shall have dominion over them in the morning;
h And their beauty shall be consumed in 5 the grave, far from their dwelling.
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But God i will redeem my soul from the power of 6 the grave,
For He shall j 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 k 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 l light. 7
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A man who is in honor, yet does not understand,
m Is like the beasts that perish.