The Evanescence of Wealth (Ecclesiastes 5:8–20)
1 ULT Hear this, all peoples! Listen, all dwellers of the world, BSB BSB: For the choirmaster. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. Hear this, all you peoples; listen, all inhabitants of the world,
2 ULT both sons of a human and sons of a man, the rich and the poor together. BSB BSB: both low and high, rich and poor alike.
3 ULT My mouth will speak wisdom, and the meditation of my heart, understanding. BSB BSB: My mouth will impart wisdom, and the meditation of my heart will bring understanding.
4 ULT I will incline my ear to a proverb; I will open my enigma with a harp. BSB BSB: I will incline my ear to a proverb; I will express my riddle with the harp:
5 ULT Why should I fear in the days of evil,{ when} the iniquity of my heels surrounds me, BSB BSB: Why should I fear in times of trouble, when wicked usurpers surround me?
6 ULT the ones trusting in their wealth, and in the abundance of their treasure they boast? BSB BSB: They trust in their wealth and boast in their great riches.
7 ULT Redeeming, a man does not redeem a brother, he does not give his ransom to God. BSB BSB: No man can possibly redeem his brother or pay his ransom to God.
8 ULT For the redemption of their life is costly, and it ceases forever, BSB BSB: For the redemption of his soul is costly, and never can payment suffice,
9 ULT that one should live on forever,{ that} one should not see the pit. BSB BSB: that he should live on forever and not see decay.
10 ULT For one will see. The wise die, likewise the fool and the brute perish, and they leave their wealth to others. BSB BSB: For it is clear that wise men die, and the foolish and the senseless both perish and leave their wealth to others.
11 ULT Inside of them, their houses{ are} forever, their dwellings{ are} to generation and generation. They call over lands by their names. BSB BSB: Their graves are their eternal homes—their dwellings for endless generations—even though their lands were their namesakes.
12 ULT But a human does not abide in honor. He is likened to the beasts, they are destroyed. BSB BSB: But a man, despite his wealth, cannot endure; he is like the beasts that perish.
13 ULT This, their way,{ is} folly to them, but after them, they delight in their mouths. Selah BSB BSB: This is the fate of the foolish and their followers who endorse their sayings. Selah
14 ULT Like sheep, they appoint{ them} to Sheol; death will shepherd them. And the upright will rule over them in the morning, and Sheol will consume their form from the dwelling to it. BSB BSB: Like sheep they are destined for Sheol. Death will be their shepherd. The upright will rule them in the morning, and their form will decay in Sheol, far from their lofty abode.
15 ULT But God will redeem my soul from the hand of Sheol, for he will take me. Selah BSB BSB: But God will redeem my life from Sheol, for He will surely take me to Himself. Selah
16 ULT Do not fear when a man becomes rich, when the glory of his house increases. BSB BSB: Do not be afraid when a man grows rich, when the splendor of his house increases.
17 ULT For in his death, he will not take anything; his glory will not go down after him. BSB BSB: For when he dies, he will carry nothing away; his abundance will not follow him down.
18 ULT Although in his life he blesses his soul(and they do praise you when you do well for yourself), BSB BSB: Though in his lifetime he blesses his soul—and men praise you when you prosper—
19 ULT he will come to the generation of his fathers; forever they will not see light. BSB BSB: he will join the generation of his fathers, who will never see the light of day.
20 ULT A human in honor, but he does not understand, he is likened to the beasts, they are destroyed. BSB BSB: A man who has riches without understanding is like the beasts that perish.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.