9 Surely the lowborn are but a breath,

the highborn are but a lie.

If weighed on a balance, they are nothing;

together they are only a breath.

10 Do not trust in extortion

or put vain hope in stolen goods;

though your riches increase,

do not set your heart on them.

9 Surely men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are a lie:

To be laid in the balance, they are altogether lighter than vanity.

10 Trust not in oppression,

And become not vain in robbery:

If riches increase, set not your heart upon them.

9 Common people are as worthless as a puff of wind,

and the powerful are not what they appear to be.

If you weigh them on the scales,

together they are lighter than a breath of air.

10 Don’t make your living by extortion

or put your hope in stealing.

And if your wealth increases,

don’t make it the center of your life.

9 Surely men of low degree are a vapor,

Men of high degree are a lie;

If they are weighed on the scales,

They are altogether lighter than vapor.

10 Do not trust in oppression,

Nor vainly hope in robbery;

If riches increase,

Do not set your heart on them.

9 The least of people are only a breath,

and even the greatest are just a lie.

On the scales, they weigh nothing;

together they are only a breath.

10 Do not trust in force.

Stealing is of no use.

Even if you gain more riches,

don’t put your trust in them.

9 Surely men of low degree are vanity, and men of high degree are a lie:

In the balances they will go up;

They are together lighter than vanity.

10 Trust not in oppression,

And become not vain in robbery:

If riches increase, set not your heart thereon.

9 Men of low degree are only vanity; men of high degree, a lie: laid in the balance, they go up together lighter than vanity. 10 Put not confidence in oppression, and become not vain in robbery; if wealth increase, set not your heart upon it.

9 Common people are only a whisper in the wind. 

Important people are only a delusion. 

When all of them are weighed on a scale, they amount to nothing. 

They are less than a whisper in the wind. 

10 Do not count on extortion ⸤to make you rich⸥. 

Do not hope to gain anything through robbery. 

When riches increase, do not depend on them. 

9 Men are only a vapor;

exalted men, an illusion.

Weighed in the scales, they go up;

together they are less than a vapor.

10 Place no trust in oppression,

or false hope in robbery.

If wealth increases,

pay no attention to it.

9 Those of low estate are but a breath,

those of high estate are a delusion;

in the balances they go up;

they are together lighter than a breath.

10 Put no confidence in extortion,

and set no vain hopes on robbery;

if riches increase, do not set your heart on them.

9 Only a vapor are men of low degree,

a deception are men of high degree.

Weighed in a balance,

together they are lighter than a vapor.

10 Do not trust in extortion,

and do not put vain confidence in robbery.

If wealth increases,

do not set your heart on it.

9 Ordinary people are only a breath.

Important people are not what they seem to be.

If they were weighed on a scale, they wouldn’t amount to anything.

Together they are only a breath.

10 Don’t trust in money you have taken from others.

Don’t be proud of things you have stolen.

Even if your riches grow,

don’t put your trust in them.

9 Men of low degree are only vanity and men of rank are a lie;

In the balances they go up;

They are together lighter than breath.

10 Do not trust in oppression

And do not vainly hope in robbery;

If riches increase, do not set your heart upon them.