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1  O hear ye this, all ye people *
 ponder it with your ears, all ye that dwell in the world;
2  High and low, rich and poor *
 one with another.
3  My mouth shall speak of wisdom *
 and my heart shall muse of understanding.
4  I will incline mine ear to the parable *
 and shew my dark speech upon the harp.
5  Wherefore should I fear in the days of wickedness *
 and when the wickedness of my heels compasseth me round about?
6  There be some that put their trust in their goods *
 and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches.
7  But no man may deliver his brother *
 nor make agreement unto God for him;
8  For it cost more to redeem their souls *
 so that he must let that alone for ever;
9  Yea, though he live long *
 and see not the grave.
10  For he seeth that wise men also die, and perish together *
 as well as the ignorant and foolish, and leave their riches for other.
11  And yet they think that their houses shall continue for ever *
 and that their dwelling-places shall endure from one generation to another; and call the lands after their own names.
12  Nevertheless, man will not abide in honour *
 seeing he may be compared unto the beasts that perish; this is the way of them.
13  This is their foolishness *
 and their posterity praise their saying.
14  They lie in the hell like sheep, death gnaweth upon them, and the righteous shall have domination over them in the morning *
 their beauty shall consume in the sepulchre out of their dwelling.
15  But God hath delivered my soul from the place of hell *
 for he shall receive me.
16  Be not thou afraid, though one be made rich *
 or if the glory of his house be increased ;
17  For he shall carry nothing away with him when he dieth *
 neither shall his pomp follow him.
18  For while he lived, he counted himself an happy man *
 and so long as thou doest well unto thyself, men will speak good of thee.
19  He shall follow the generation of his fathers *
 and shall never see light.
20  Man being in honour hath no understanding *
 but is compared unto the beasts that perish.