⁷ “Here now is the man
    who did not make God his stronghold^(A)
but trusted in his great wealth^(B)
    and grew strong by destroying others!”

“Cursed is the one who trusts in man,^(A)
    who draws strength from mere flesh
    and whose heart turns away from the Lord.^(B)

⁸ As no one has power over the wind to contain it,
    so^[a] no one has power over the time of their death.
As no one is discharged in time of war,
    so wickedness will not release those who practice it.

¹⁸ Surely you place them on slippery ground;^(A)
    you cast them down to ruin.^(B)
19 How suddenly^(C) are they destroyed,
    completely swept away^(D) by terrors!
²⁰ They are like a dream^(E) when one awakes;^(F)
    when you arise, Lord,
    you will despise them as fantasies.^(G)

⁶ those who trust in their wealth^(A)
    and boast^(B) of their great riches?^(C)
7 No one can redeem the life of another
    or give to God a ransom for them—
⁸ the ransom^(D) for a life is costly,
    no payment is ever enough—^(E)
9 so that they should live on^(F) forever
    and not see decay.^(G)
10 For all can see that the wise die,^(H)
    that the foolish and the senseless^(I) also perish,
    leaving their wealth^(J) to others.^(K)
11 Their tombs^(L) will remain their houses^[a] forever,
    their dwellings for endless generations,^(M)
    though they had^[b] named^(N) lands after themselves.

¹² People, despite their wealth, do not endure;^(O)
    they are like the beasts that perish.^(P)

¹³ This is the fate of those who trust in themselves,^(Q)
    and of their followers, who approve their sayings.^[c]
14 They are like sheep and are destined^(R) to die;^(S)
    death will be their shepherd
    (but the upright will prevail^(T) over them in the morning).
Their forms will decay in the grave,
    far from their princely mansions.
¹⁵ But God will redeem me from the realm of the dead;^(U)
    he will surely take me to himself.^(V)
16 Do not be overawed when others grow rich,
    when the splendor of their houses increases;
¹⁷ for they will take nothing^(W) with them when they die,
    their splendor will not descend with them.^(X)
18 Though while they live they count themselves blessed—^(Y)
    and people praise you when you prosper—
¹⁹ they will join those who have gone before them,^(Z)
    who will never again see the light^(AA) of life.

²⁰ People who have wealth but lack understanding^(AB)
    are like the beasts that perish.^(AC)

⁷ The merchant uses dishonest scales^(A)
    and loves to defraud.
⁸ Ephraim boasts,^(B)
    “I am very rich; I have become wealthy.^(C)
With all my wealth they will not find in me
    any iniquity or sin.”

¹⁶ Those who see you stare at you,
    they ponder your fate:^(A)
“Is this the man who shook^(B) the earth
    and made kingdoms tremble,
¹⁷ the man who made the world a wilderness,^(C)
    who overthrew^(D) its cities
    and would not let his captives go home?”^(E)