⁵ Why should I fear in times of trouble?
The iniquity of my foes surrounds me.^(E)
6 They trust in their wealth
and boast of their abundant riches.^(F)
7 Yet these cannot redeem a person^[a]
or pay his ransom to God^(G)—
⁸ since the price of redeeming him is too costly,
one should forever stop trying^[b](H)—
⁹ so that he may live forever
and not see the Pit.^(I)

¹⁰ For one can see that the wise die;
the foolish and stupid also pass away.^(J)
Then they leave their wealth to others.^(K)
11 Their graves are their permanent homes,^[c]
their dwellings from generation to generation,
though they have named estates after themselves.^(L)
12 But despite his assets,^[d] mankind will not last;
he is like the animals that perish.^(M)

¹³ This is the way of those who are arrogant,
and of their followers,
who approve of their words.^[e](N)Selah
¹⁴ Like sheep they are headed for Sheol;
Death will shepherd them.
The upright will rule over them in the morning,^(O)
and their form will waste away in Sheol,^[f]
far from their lofty abode.^(P)
15 But God will redeem me
from the power of Sheol,
for he will take me.^(Q)Selah

¹⁶ Do not be afraid when a person gets rich,
when the wealth^[g] of his house increases.^(R)
17 For when he dies, he will take nothing at all;
his wealth will not follow him down.^(S)
18 Though he blesses himself during his lifetime—
and you are acclaimed when you do well for yourself^(T)—
¹⁹ he will go to the generation of his ancestors;
they will never see the light.^(U)
20 Mankind, with his assets
but without understanding,
is like the animals that perish.^(V)