Psalms 49
1 For the choirmaster. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. Hear this, all you peoples; listen, all inhabitants of the world,
For the leader. Of the Korahites. A psalm. Hear this, you peoples all; attend, all you who live in the world
2 both low and high, rich and poor alike.
people of low degree and high, the rich and the poor together.
3 My mouth will impart wisdom, and the meditation of my heart will bring understanding.
My mouth shall utter wisdom, the thoughts of a seeing heart.
4 I will incline my ear to a proverb; I will express my riddle with the harp:
I incline my ear to a proverb, on the lyre I will open my riddle.
5 Why should I fear in times of trouble, when wicked usurpers surround me?
Why should I be afraid in the days of misfortune, when circled by wicked and cunning foes,
6 They trust in their wealth and boast in their great riches.
who put their trust in their wealth, and boast of their boundless riches?
7 No man can possibly redeem his brother or pay his ransom to God.
For assuredly no one can ransom themselves, or give to God the price of their life,
8 For the redemption of his soul is costly, and never can payment suffice,
for the ransom of a life is costly, no payment is ever enough,
9 that he should live on forever and not see decay.
to keep them alive for ever and ever, so as never to see the pit at all.
10 For it is clear that wise men die, and the foolish and the senseless both perish and leave their wealth to others.
But see it they will. Even wise people die, the fool and the brutish perish alike, and abandon their wealth to others.
11 Their graves are their eternal homes— their dwellings for endless generations— even though their lands were their namesakes.
The grave is their everlasting home, the place they shall live in for ever and ever, though after their own names they called whole lands.
12 But a man, despite his wealth, cannot endure; he is like the beasts that perish.
Despite their wealth, they perish like dumb animals.
13 This is the fate of the self-confident and their followers who endorse their sayings.
This is the fate of the confident fool, and the end of those who are pleased with their portion. (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 they descend to Sheol with Death for their shepherd; down they go straight to the grave, and their form wastes away in their home below. (Sheol h7585)
But God will assuredly ransom my life from the hand 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.
So be not afraid when someone grows rich, when the wealth of their house increases.
17 For when he dies, he will carry nothing away; his abundance will not follow him down.
Not a shred of it all can they take when they die, wealth cannot follow them down.
18 Though in his lifetime he blesses his soul— and men praise you when you prosper—
Though they count themselves happy, when they are alive, and win praise from many for faring so well,
19 he will join the generation of his fathers, who will never see the light of day.
they must join their ancestors, who see the light nevermore.
20 A man who has riches without understanding is like the beasts that perish.
The wealthy are without understanding, they perish like dumb animals.
