1 Hear this, all you peoples;

listen, all who live in this world,

2 both low and high,

rich and poor alike:

3 My mouth will speak words of wisdom;

the meditation of my heart will give you understanding.

4 I will turn my ear to a proverb;

with the harp I will expound my riddle:

5 Why should I fear when evil days come,

when wicked deceivers surround me—

6 those who trust in their wealth

and boast of their great riches?

7 No one can redeem the life of another

or give to God a ransom for them—

8 the ransom for a life is costly,

no payment is ever enough—

9 so that they should live on forever

and not see decay.

1 Hear this, all peoples!

Give ear, all inhabitants of the world,

2 both low and high,

rich and poor together!

3 My mouth shall speak wisdom;

the meditation of my heart shall be understanding.

4 I will incline my ear to a proverb;

I will solve my riddle to the music of the lyre.

5 Why should I fear in times of trouble,

when the iniquity of those who cheat me surrounds me,

6 those who trust in their wealth

and boast of the abundance of their riches?

7 Truly no man can ransom another,

or give to God the price of his life,

8 for the ransom of their life is costly

and can never suffice,

9 that he should live on forever

and never see the pit.

1 Hear this, all ye people;

Give ear, all ye inhabitants of the world:

2 Both low and high,

Rich and poor, together.

3 My mouth shall speak of wisdom;

And the meditation of my heart shall be of understanding.

4 I will incline mine ear to a parable:

I will open my dark saying upon the harp.

5 Wherefore should I fear in the days of evil,

When the iniquity of my heels shall compass me about?

6 They that trust in their wealth,

And boast themselves 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:

8 (For the redemption of their soul is precious,

And it ceaseth for ever:)

9 That he should still live for ever,

And not see corruption.

1 Listen to this, all you people!

Pay attention, everyone in the world!

2 High and low,

rich and poor—listen!

3 For my words are wise,

and my thoughts are filled with insight.

4 I listen carefully to many proverbs

and solve riddles with inspiration from a harp.

5 Why should I fear when trouble comes,

when enemies surround me?

6 They trust in their wealth

and boast of great riches.

7 Yet they cannot redeem themselves from death

by paying a ransom to God.

8 Redemption does not come so easily,

for no one can ever pay enough

9 to live forever

and never see the grave.

1 Hear this, all peoples; Give ear, all inhabitants of the world,

2 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 dark saying on the harp.

5 Why should I fear in the days of evil,

When the iniquity at my heels surrounds me?

6 Those who trust in their wealth

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—

8 For the redemption of their souls is costly,

And it shall cease forever—

9 That he should continue to live eternally,

And not see the Pit.

1 Listen to this, all you nations;

listen, all you who live on earth.

2 Listen, both great and small,

rich and poor together.

3 What I say is wise,

and my heart speaks with understanding.

4 I will pay attention to a wise saying;

I will explain my riddle on the harp.

5 Why should I be afraid of bad days?

Why should I fear when evil people surround me?

6 They trust in their money

and brag about their riches.

7 No one can buy back the life of another.

No one can pay God for his own life,

8 because the price of a life is high.

No payment is ever enough.

9 Do people live forever?

Don’t they all face death?

1 Hear this, all ye peoples;

Give ear, all ye inhabitants of the world,

2 Both low and high,

Rich and poor together.

3 My mouth shall speak wisdom;

And the meditation of my heart shall be of understanding.

4 I will incline mine ear to a parable:

I will open my dark saying upon the harp.

5 Wherefore should I fear in the days of evil,

When iniquity at my heels compasseth me about?

6 They that trust in their wealth,

And boast themselves 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;

8 (For the redemption of their life is costly,

And it faileth for ever),

9 That he should still live alway,

That he should not see corruption.

1 Hear this, all ye peoples; give ear, all inhabitants of the world: 2 Both men of low and men of high degree, rich and poor alike. 3 My mouth shall speak wisdom, and the meditation of my heart shall be of understanding: 4 I will incline mine ear to a parable, I will open my riddle upon the harp. 5 Wherefore should I fear in the days of adversity, when the iniquity of my supplanters encompasseth me? —

6 They depend upon their wealth, and boast themselves in the abundance of their riches. … 7 None can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him, 8 (For the redemption of their soul is costly, and must be given up for ever,) 9 That he should still live perpetually, and not see corruption.

1 Listen to this, all you people. 

Open your ears, all who live in the world— 

2 common people and important ones, 

rich people and poor ones. 

3 My mouth will speak wise sayings, 

the insights I have carefully considered. 

4 I will turn my attention to a proverb. 

I will explain my riddle with the ⸤music of⸥ a lyre. 

5 Why should I be afraid in times of trouble, 

when slanderers surround me with evil? 

6 They trust their riches 

and brag about their abundant wealth. 

7 No one can ever buy back another person 

or pay God a ransom for his life. 

8 The price to be paid for his soul is too costly. 

He must always give up 

9 in order to live forever and never see the pit. 

1 Hear this, all you peoples;

listen, all who inhabit the world,

2 both low and high,

rich and poor together.

3 My mouth speaks wisdom;

my heart’s meditation brings understanding.

4 I turn my ear to a proverb;

I explain my riddle with a lyre.

5 Why should I fear in times of trouble?

The iniquity of my foes surrounds me.

6 They trust in their wealth

and boast of their abundant riches.

7 Yet these cannot redeem a person

or pay his ransom to God —

8 since the price of redeeming him is too costly,

one should forever stop trying —

9 so that he may live forever

and not see the Pit.

1 Hear this, all you peoples;

give ear, all inhabitants of the world,

2 both low and high,

rich and poor together.

3 My mouth shall speak wisdom;

the meditation of my heart shall be understanding.

4 I will incline my ear to a proverb;

I will solve my riddle to the music of the harp.

5 Why should I fear in times of trouble,

when the iniquity of my persecutors surrounds me,

6 those who trust in their wealth

and boast of the abundance of their riches?

7 Truly, no ransom avails for one’s life,

there is no price one can give to God for it.

8 For the ransom of life is costly,

and can never suffice,

9 that one should live on forever

and never see the grave.

1 Hear this, all you peoples;

give ear, all you inhabitants of the world,

2 both low and high,

rich and poor together.

3 My mouth will speak wisdom,

and the meditation of my heart will be understanding.

4 I will incline my ear to a proverb;

I will propound my riddle on a lyre.

5 Why should I fear in times of calamity,

when iniquity surrounds me at my heels,

6 those who trust their wealth

and boast about the abundance of their riches?

7 Surely a man cannot redeem a brother.

He cannot give to God his ransom

8 (since the redemption price for their life is costly

and it always fails),

9 so that he may stay alive forever

and not see the pit.

1 Hear this, all you nations.

Listen, all you who live in this world.

2 Listen, ordinary and important people alike.

Listen, those of you who are rich or poor.

3 My mouth will speak wise words.

What I say from my heart will give understanding.

4 I will pay attention to a proverb.

I will explain my riddle as I play the harp.

5 Why should I be afraid when trouble comes?

Why should I fear when sinners are all around me?

They are the kind of people who want to take advantage of me.

6 They trust in their wealth.

They brag about how rich they are.

7 No man can pay for the life of anyone else.

No one can give God what that would cost.

8 The price for a life is very high.

No payment is ever enough.

9 No one can pay enough to live forever

and not rot in the grave.