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