1: Give attention to this, all you peoples; let your ears be open, all you who are living in the world. 2: High and low together, the poor, and those who have wealth. 3: From my mouth will come words of wisdom; and in the thoughts of my heart will be knowledge. 4: I will put my teaching into a story; I will make my dark sayings clear with music. 5: What cause have I for fear in the days of evil, when the evil-doing of those who are working for my downfall is round about me? 6: Even of those whose faith is in their wealth, and whose hearts are lifted up because of their stores. 7: Truly, no man may get back his soul for a price, or give to God the payment for himself; 8: (Because it takes a great price to keep his soul from death, and man is not able to give it.) 9: So that he might have eternal life, and never see the underworld. 10: For he sees that wise men come to their end, and foolish persons of low behaviour come to destruction together, letting their wealth go to others. 11: The place of the dead is their house for ever, and their resting-place through all generations; those who come after them give their names to their lands. 12: But man, like the animals, does not go on for ever; he comes to an end like the beasts. 13: This is the way of the foolish; their silver is for those who come after them, and their children get the pleasure of their gold. (Selah.) 14: Death will give them their food like sheep; the underworld is their fate and they will go down into it; their flesh is food for worms; their form is wasted away; the underworld is their resting-place for ever. 15: But God will get back my soul; for he will take me from the power of death. (Selah.) 16: Have no fear when wealth comes to a man, and the glory of his house is increased; 17: For at his death, he will take nothing away; his glory will not go down after him. 18: Though he might have pride in his soul in his life-time, and men will give you praise if you do well for yourself, 19: He will go to the generation of his fathers; he will not see the light again. 20: Man, like the animals, does not go on for ever; he comes to an end like the beasts.
