Psalms 49
1 For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by the sons of Korah. Hear this, all you peoples. Listen, all you inhabitants of the world,
“For the leader of the music. A psalm of the sons of Korah.” Hear this, all ye nations; Give ear, all ye inhabitants of the world;
2 both low and high, rich and poor together.
Both high and low, rich and poor alike!
3 My mouth will speak words of wisdom. My heart will utter understanding.
My mouth shall speak wisdom, And the meditation of my mind shall be understanding.
4 I will incline my ear to a proverb. I will solve my riddle on the harp.
I will incline mine ear to a poem; I will utter my song upon the harp.
5 Why should I fear in the days of evil, when iniquity at my heels surrounds me?
Why should I fear in the days of adversity, When the iniquity of my adversaries encompasseth me;
6 Those who trust in their wealth, and boast in the multitude of their riches—
They who trust in their riches, And glory in the greatness of their wealth?
7 none of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give God a ransom for him.
No one can redeem his brother from death, Nor give a ransom for him to God,
8 For the redemption of their life is costly, no payment is ever enough,
That he should live to eternity, And not see the pit.
9 that he should live on forever, that he should not see corruption.
Too costly is the redemption of his life, And he giveth it up for ever.
10 For he sees that wise men die; likewise the fool and the senseless perish, and leave their wealth to others.
For he seeth that wise men die, As well as the foolish and the ignorant; They perish alike, And leave their wealth to others.
11 Their inward thought is that their houses will endure forever, and their dwelling places to all generations. They name their lands after themselves.
They imagine that their houses will endure for ever, And their dwelling-places from generation to generation: Men celebrate their names on the earth.
12 But man, despite his riches, does not endure. He is like the animals that perish.
Yet man, who is in honor, abideth not; He is like the beasts that perish.
13 This is the destiny of those who are foolish, and of those who approve their sayings. (Selah)
Such is the way which is their confidence! And they who come after them approve their maxims. (Pause)
14 They are appointed as a flock for Sheol (Sheol h7585). Death shall be their shepherd. The upright shall have dominion over them in the morning. Their beauty shall decay in Sheol (Sheol h7585), far from their mansion.
Like sheep they are cast into the underworld; Death shall feed upon them; And the upright shall soon trample upon them. Their form shall be consumed in the underworld, And they shall no more have a dwelling-place. (Sheol h7585)
15 But God will redeem my soul from the power of Sheol (Sheol h7585), for he will receive me. (Selah)
But God will redeem my life from the underworld; Yea, he will take me under his care. (Pause) (Sheol h7585)
16 Do not be afraid when a man is made rich, when the glory of his house is increased;
Be not thou afraid, when one becometh rich; When the glory of his house is increased!
17 for when he dies he will carry nothing away. His glory will not descend after him.
For, when he dieth, he will carry nothing away; His glory will not descend after him.
18 Though while he lived he blessed his soul— and men praise you when you do well for yourself—
Though in his life he thought himself happy, —Though men praised thee, while thou wast in prosperity, —
19 he shall go to the generation of his fathers. They shall never see the light.
Yet shalt thou go to the dwelling-place of thy fathers, Who never more shall see the light!
20 A man who has riches without understanding, is like the animals that perish.
The man who is in honor, but without understanding, Is like the beasts that perish.
