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,
To the Overseer. — By sons of Korah. A Psalm. Hear this, all ye peoples, Give ear, all ye inhabitants of the world.
2 both low and high, rich and poor together.
Both low and high, together rich and needy.
3 My mouth will speak words of wisdom. My heart will utter understanding.
My mouth speaketh wise things, And the meditations of my heart [are] things of understanding.
4 I will incline my ear to a proverb. I will solve my riddle on the harp.
I incline to a simile mine ear, I open with a harp my riddle:
5 Why should I fear in the days of evil, when iniquity at my heels surrounds me?
Why do I fear in days of evil? The iniquity of my supplanters doth compass me.
6 Those who trust in their wealth, and boast in the multitude of their riches—
Those trusting on their wealth, And in the multitude of their riches, Do shew themselves foolish.
7 none of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give God a ransom for him.
A brother doth no one at all ransom, He doth not give to God his atonement.
8 For the redemption of their life is costly, no payment is ever enough,
And precious [is] the redemption of their soul, And it hath ceased — to the age.
9 that he should live on forever, that he should not see corruption.
And still he liveth for ever, He seeth not the pit.
10 For he sees that wise men die; likewise the fool and the senseless perish, and leave their wealth to others.
For he seeth wise men die, Together the foolish and brutish perish, And have left to others their wealth.
11 Their inward thought is that their houses will endure forever, and their dwelling places to all generations. They name their lands after themselves.
Their heart [is]: Their houses [are] to the age, Their tabernacles to all generations. They proclaimed their names over the lands.
12 But man, despite his riches, does not endure. He is like the animals that perish.
And man in honour doth not remain, He hath been like the beasts, they have been cut off.
13 This is the destiny of those who are foolish, and of those who approve their sayings. (Selah)
This their way [is] folly for them, And their posterity with their sayings are pleased. (Selah)
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.
As sheep for Sheol they have set themselves, Death doth afflict them, And the upright rule over them in the morning, And their form [is] for consumption. Sheol [is] a dwelling for him. (Sheol h7585)
15 But God will redeem my soul from the power of Sheol (Sheol h7585), for he will receive me. (Selah)
Only, God doth ransom my soul from the hand of Sheol, For He doth receive me. (Selah) (Sheol h7585)
16 Do not be afraid when a man is made rich, when the glory of his house is increased;
Fear not, when one maketh wealth, When the honour of his house is abundant,
17 for when he dies he will carry nothing away. His glory will not descend after him.
For at his death he receiveth nothing, His honour goeth not down after him.
18 Though while he lived he blessed his soul— and men praise you when you do well for yourself—
For his soul in his life he blesseth, (And they praise thee when thou dost well for thyself.)
19 he shall go to the generation of his fathers. They shall never see the light.
It cometh to the generation of his fathers, For ever they see not the light.
20 A man who has riches without understanding, is like the animals that perish.
Man in honour, who understandest not, Hath been like the beasts, they have been cut off!
