Psalms 49
1 For the choirmaster. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. Hear this, all you peoples; listen, all inhabitants of the world,
To the chief Musician. Of the sons of Korah. A Psalm. Hear this, all ye peoples; give ear, all inhabitants of the world:
2 both low and high, rich and poor alike.
Both men of low and men of high degree, rich and poor alike.
3 My mouth will impart wisdom, and the meditation of my heart will bring understanding.
My mouth shall speak wisdom, and the meditation of my heart shall be of understanding:
4 I will incline my ear to a proverb; I will express my riddle with the harp:
I will incline mine ear to a parable, I will open my riddle upon the harp.
5 Why should I fear in times of trouble, when wicked usurpers surround me?
Wherefore should I fear in the days of adversity, [when] the iniquity of my supplanters encompasseth me? —
6 They trust in their wealth and boast in their great riches.
They depend upon their wealth, and boast themselves in the abundance of their riches. ...
7 No man can possibly redeem his brother or pay his ransom to God.
None can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him,
8 For the redemption of his soul is costly, and never can payment suffice,
(For the redemption of their soul is costly, and must be given up for ever, )
9 that he should live on forever and not see decay.
That he should still live perpetually, [and] not see corruption.
10 For it is clear that wise men die, and the foolish and the senseless both perish and leave their wealth to others.
For he seeth that wise men die; all alike, the fool and the brutish perish, and they leave their wealth to others.
11 Their graves are their eternal homes— their dwellings for endless generations— even though their lands were their namesakes.
Their inward thought is, that their houses are for ever, their dwelling-places from generation to generation: they call the lands after their own names.
12 But a man, despite his wealth, cannot endure; he is like the beasts that perish.
Nevertheless, man being in honour abideth not: he is like the beasts that perish.
13 This is the fate of the self-confident and their followers who endorse their sayings.
This their way is their folly, yet they that come after them delight in their sayings. (Selah)
14 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. (Sheol h7585)
Like sheep are they laid in Sheol: Death feedeth on them; and the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning; and their comeliness shall be for Sheol to consume, that there be no habitation for them. (Sheol h7585)
But God will redeem my soul from the power of Sheol: for he will receive me. (Selah) (Sheol h7585)
16 Do not be amazed when a man grows rich, when the splendor of his house increases.
Be not afraid when a man becometh rich, when the glory of his house is increased:
17 For when he dies, he will carry nothing away; his abundance will not follow him down.
For when he dieth, he shall carry nothing away; his glory shall not descend after him.
18 Though in his lifetime he blesses his soul— and men praise you when you prosper—
Though he blessed his soul in his lifetime, — and men will praise thee when thou doest well to thyself, —
19 he will join the generation of his fathers, who will never see the light of day.
It shall go to the generation of his fathers: they shall never see light.
20 A man who has riches without understanding is like the beasts that perish.
Man that is in honour, and understandeth not, is like the beasts that perish.
