The transience of wealth
(Ecclesiastes 5:8-20)
1
Unto the end, a psalm for the sons of Core.
2
Hear these things, all ye nations: give ear, all ye inhabitants of the world.
3
All you that are earthborn, and you sons of men: both rich and poor together.
4
My mouth shall speak wisdom: and the meditation of my heart understanding.
5
I will incline my ear to a parable; I will open my proposition on the psaltery.
6
Why shall I fear in the evil day? the iniquity of my heel shall encompass me.
7
They that trust in their own strength, and glory in the multitude of their riches,
8
No brother can redeem, nor shall man redeem: he shall not give to God his ransom,
9
Nor the price of the redemption of his soul: and shall labour for ever,
10
And shall still live unto the end.
11
He shall not see destruction, when he shall see the wise dying: the senseless and the fool shall perish together: And they shall leave their riches to strangers:
12
And their sepulchres shall be their houses for ever. Their dwelling places to all generations: they have called their lands by their names.
13
And man when he was in honour did not understand; he is compared to senseless beasts, and is become like to them.
14
This way of theirs is a stumblingblock to them: and afterwards they shall delight in their mouth.
15
They are laid in hell like sheep: death shall feed upon them. And the just shall have dominion over them in the morning; and their help shall decay in hell from their glory.
16
But God will redeem my soul from the hand of hell, when he shall receive me.
17
Be not thou afraid, when a man shall be made rich, and when the glory of his house shall be increased.
18
For when he shall die he shall take nothing away; nor shall his glory descend with him.
19
For in his lifetime his soul will be blessed: and he will praise thee when thou shalt do well to him.
20
He shall go in to the generations of his fathers: and he shall never see light.
21
Man when he was in honour did not understand: he hath been compared to senseless beasts, and made like to them.