Psalm 49:1-12

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.
10; When we look at the wise, they die; fool and dolt perish together and leave their wealth to others.
11: Their graves are their homes forever, their dwelling places to all generations, though they named lands their own.
12; Mortals cannot abide in their pomp; they are like the animals that perish.