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 chief musician. A psalm of the sons of Korah. Hear this, all you peoples; give ear, all you inhabitants of the world,
2 both low and high, rich and poor alike.
both low and high, rich and poor together.
3 My mouth will impart wisdom, and the meditation of my heart will bring understanding.
My mouth will speak wisdom and the meditation of my heart will 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 begin my parable with the harp.
5 Why should I fear in times of trouble, when wicked usurpers surround me?
Why should I fear the days of evil, when iniquity surrounds me at my heels?
6 They trust in their wealth and boast in their great riches.
Why should I fear those who trust in their wealth and boast about the amount of their riches?
7 No man can possibly redeem his brother or pay his ransom to God.
It is certain that no one can redeem his brother or give God a ransom for him,
8 For the redemption of his soul is costly, and never can payment suffice,
For the redemption of one's life is costly, and no one can pay what we owe.
9 that he should live on forever and not see decay.
No one can live forever so that his body should not decay.
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 will see decay. Wise men die; the fool and the brute alike perish and 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 inner thought is that their families will continue forever, and the places where they live, to all generations; they call their lands after their own names.
12 But a man, despite his wealth, cannot endure; he is like the beasts that perish.
But man, having wealth, does not remain alive; 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 after them, men approve of 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 they are appointed for Sheol, and death will be their shepherd. The upright will rule over them in the morning, and their bodies will be consumed in Sheol, with no place for them to live. (Sheol h7585)
But God will redeem my life from the power of Sheol; he will receive me. (Selah) (Sheol h7585)
16 Do not be amazed when a man grows rich, when the splendor of his house increases.
Do not be afraid when one becomes rich, and the glory of his house increases.
17 For when he dies, he will carry nothing away; his abundance will not follow him down.
For when he dies he will take nothing away; his glory will not go down after him.
18 Though in his lifetime he blesses his soul— and men praise you when you prosper—
He blessed his soul while he lived— and men praise you when you live for yourself—
19 he will join the generation of his fathers, who will never see the light of day.
he will go to the generation of his fathers and they will never see the light again.
20 A man who has riches without understanding is like the beasts that perish.
One who has wealth but no understanding is like the beasts, which perish.
