1 Listen to this all you nations. Listen to this all you people on earth. 2 Every person, poor and rich alike, should listen. 3 I will tell you some very wise and intelligent things. 4 I myself listened to the stories. And now, with my harp, I will sing and reveal that message to you. 5 Why should I be afraid if trouble comes. There is no need to be afraid if evil people surround me and try to trap me. 6 Some people think their strength and wealth will protect them. But those people are fools. 7 No human friend can save you. And you can’t bribe God. 8 No person will ever get enough money to buy his own life. 9 No person will ever get enough money to buy the right to live forever, and to save his own body from rotting in the grave. 10 Look, wise people die the same as fools and stupid people. They die and leave their wealth to other people. 11 The grave will be their new home forever and ever. And how much land they owned won’t make any difference! 12 People might be wealthy, but they can’t stay here forever. They will die just like the animals. 13 That is what happens to those foolish people who are so pleased with their wealth. 14 Those people are just like sheep. The grave will be their pen. Death will be their shepherd. Then on that morning the good people will be the winners as the bodies of those ˻proud˼ people slowly rot in the grave, far away from their fancy houses. 15 But God will pay the price and save my life. He will save me from the power of the grave when he takes me ˻to be with him˼! 16 Don’t be afraid of people just because they are rich. Don’t be afraid of people just because they have big fancy houses. 17 Those people won’t take a thing with them when they die. They will not take any of those beautiful things with them. 18 A wealthy person might really congratulate himself on how well he has done in life. And yes, even other people might praise him for how well he had done for himself. 19 But the time will come for him ˻to die˼ and go to his ancestors. And he will never again see the light of day. 20 People might be wealthy, and still not understand. They will die just like the animals.
