The Evanescence of Wealth
(Ecclesiastes 5:8–20)

1For the one directing. Of the sons of Korah. A Psalm.

1 Hear this, all you peoples;

give ear, all you dwellers of the world,

2both sons of a man and sons of a great man,

the rich and the poor together!

3My mouth will speak wisdom,

and a declaration of my heart, understanding.

4I will incline my ear to a proverb;

I will open up my riddle with the harp.

5Why should I fear in the days of evil,

the perversion that surrounds me at my heels,

6those trusting in their wealth,

and who boast in the abundance of their riches?

7A brother surely cannot ransom a man,†

and he cannot give to God his redemption price.

8For costly is the ransom of their soul,

and it shall cease forever,

9that he might live on forever,

and not see the Pit.

10For he sees wise men die;

the fool and the senseless one perish together,

and they leave their wealth for others.

11Their graves† are their homes forever,

their dwelling places from generation to generation,

they proclaimed over the lands their own names.

12And man in his wealth does not remain;

he becomes like the beasts that perish.

13This is their path of folly† for them,

and after them in their sayings they took delight.

Selah

14like sheep they are appointed for Sheol,

and death will be their shepherd;

the upright will rule over them in the morning,

and their form shall be consumed in Sheol—the habitation for him.

15Surely God will redeem my soul from the hand of Sheol,

for He shall take me.

Selah

16do not be afraid when a man becomes rich,

when the glory of his house increases.

17For in his death he will take of it all nothing;

his glory will not go down after him,

18though his soul, in his living, he blesses,

and they praise you when you do well for yourself.

19He will come to the generation of his fathers;

even to forever they shall not see light.

20A man in his splendor does not understand;

he is like the beasts that perish!