The text of the psalm
לַמְנַצֵּחַ לִבְנֵי־קֹרַח מִזְמֽוֹר׃
For the Leader; a Psalm for the sons of Korah.
שִׁמְעוּ־זֹאת כָּל־הָעַמִּים הַאֲזִינוּ כָּל־יֹשְׁבֵי חָֽלֶד׃
Hear this, all ye peoples; Give ear, all ye inhabitants of the world,
גַּם־בְּנֵי אָדָם גַּם־בְּנֵי־אִישׁ יַחַד עָשִׁיר וְאֶבְיֽוֹן׃
Both low and high, Rich and poor together.
פִּי יְדַבֵּר חָכְמוֹת וְהָגוּת לִבִּי תְבוּנֽוֹת׃
My mouth shall speak wisdom, and the meditation of my heart shall be understanding.
אַטֶּה לְמָשָׁל אָזְנִי אֶפְתַּח בְּכִנּוֹר חִידָתִֽי׃
I will incline mine ear to a parable; I will open my dark saying upon the harp.
לָמָּה אִירָא בִּימֵי רָע עֲוֺן עֲקֵבַי יְסוּבֵּֽנִי׃
Wherefore should I fear in the days of evil, when the iniquity of my supplanters compasseth me about,
הַבֹּטְחִים עַל־חֵילָם וּבְרֹב עָשְׁרָם יִתְהַלָּֽלוּ׃
Of them that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches?
אָח לֹא־פָדֹה יִפְדֶּה אִישׁ לֹא־יִתֵּן לֵאלֹהִים כָּפְרֽוֹ׃
No man can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him -
וְיֵקַר פִּדְיוֹן נַפְשָׁם וְחָדַל לְעוֹלָֽם׃
For too costly is the redemption of their soul, and must be let alone for ever -
וִיחִי־עוֹד לָנֶצַח לֹא יִרְאֶה הַשָּֽׁחַת׃
That he should still live always, that he should not see the pit.
כִּי יִרְאֶה חֲכָמִים יָמוּתוּ יַחַד כְּסִיל וָבַעַר יֹאבֵדוּ וְעָזְבוּ לַאֲחֵרִים חֵילָֽם׃
For he seeth that wise men die, The fool and the brutish together perish, And leave their wealth to others.
קִרְבָּם בָּתֵּימוֹ לְעוֹלָם מִשְׁכְּנֹתָם לְדֹר וָדֹר קָרְאוּ בִשְׁמוֹתָם עֲלֵי אֲדָמֽוֹת׃
Their inward thought is, that their houses shall continue for ever, And their dwelling-places to all generations; They call their lands after their own names.
וְאָדָם בִּיקָר בַּל־יָלִין נִמְשַׁל כַּבְּהֵמוֹת נִדְמֽוּ׃
But man abideth not in honour; He is like the beasts that perish.
זֶה דַרְכָּם כֵּסֶל לָמוֹ וְאַחֲרֵיהֶם בְּפִיהֶם יִרְצוּ סֶֽלָה׃
This is the way of them that are foolish, and of those who after them approve their sayings. Selah
כַּצֹּאן לִשְׁאוֹל שַׁתּוּ מָוֶת יִרְעֵם וַיִּרְדּוּ בָם יְשָׁרִים לַבֹּקֶר וְצוּרָם לְבַלּוֹת שְׁאוֹל מִזְּבֻל לֽוֹ׃
Like sheep they are appointed for the nether-world; death shall be their shepherd; and the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning; And their form shall be for the nether-world to wear away, That there be no habitation for it.
אַךְ־אֱלֹהִים יִפְדֶּה נַפְשִׁי מִיַּד־שְׁאוֹל כִּי יִקָּחֵנִי סֶֽלָה׃
But God will redeem my soul from the power of the nether-world; For He shall receive me. Selah
אַל־תִּירָא כִּי־יַעֲשִׁר אִישׁ כִּי־יִרְבֶּה כְּבוֹד בֵּיתֽוֹ׃
Be not thou afraid when one waxeth rich, When the wealth of his house is increased;
כִּי לֹא בְמוֹתוֹ יִקַּח הַכֹּל לֹא־יֵרֵד אַחֲרָיו כְּבוֹדֽוֹ׃
For when he dieth he shall carry nothing away; His wealth shall not descend after him.
כִּי־נַפְשׁוֹ בְּחַיָּיו יְבָרֵךְ וְיוֹדֻךָ כִּי־תֵיטִיב לָֽךְ׃
Though while he lived he blessed his soul: 'Men will praise thee, when thou shalt do well to thyself';
תָּבוֹא עַד־דּוֹר אֲבוֹתָיו עַד־נֵצַח לֹא יִרְאוּ־אֽוֹר׃
It shall go to the generation of his fathers; They shall never see the light. .
אָדָם בִּיקָר וְלֹא יָבִין נִמְשַׁל כַּבְּהֵמוֹת נִדְמֽוּ׃
Man that is in honour understandeth not; He is like the beasts that perish.