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, by the sons of Korach, a psalm.” Hear this, all ye people; give ear, all ye inhabitants of the perishable world:
2 both low and high, rich and poor alike.
Both the sons of the low and the sons of the high, rich and needy, altogether.
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 my ear to a parable: I will open with the harp my riddle.
5 Why should I fear in times of trouble, when wicked usurpers surround me?
Wherefore should I fear in the days of evil, when the iniquity of my oppressors encompasseth me?—
6 They trust in their wealth and boast in their great riches.
Of those that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves of the multitude of their riches?
7 No man can possibly redeem his brother or pay his ransom to God.
No one can in any wise redeem his brother, nor can he give to God redemption money for himself;
8 For the redemption of his soul is costly, and never can payment suffice,
For the ransom of their soul is too costly, and it is omitted for ever.
9 that he should live on forever and not see decay.
And should he still live for ever? not see the pit?
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 must see that wise men die, that together the fool and the brutish person perish and leave to others their wealth.
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 to be for ever, their dwelling-places, from generation to generation; they call them by their own names in [various] countries.
12 But a man, despite his wealth, cannot endure; he is like the beasts that perish.
Nevertheless man in [his] splendor endureth 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 is their way, their folly: yet their posterity will take pleasure 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 flocks are they thrust into the nether world; death will feed them; but the upright shall have dominion over them in that morning, and their form wasteth away in the nether world, [taken away] from their own dwelling. (Sheol h7585)
But God will redeem my soul from the power of the nether world; for he will take me away. (Selah) (Sheol h7585)
16 Do not be amazed when a man grows rich, when the splendor of his house increases.
Be not thou 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 can take nothing away; his glory will not descend after him.
18 Though in his lifetime he blesses his soul— and men praise you when you prosper—
For though he bless his soul during his life, and men 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.
She shall go to the generation of his fathers, unto eternity will these never see light.
20 A man who has riches without understanding is like the beasts that perish.
Man, though in splendor, who understandeth not, is like the beasts that perish. °
