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, A Psalm for the sons of Korah. Hear this, all [ye] people; give ear, all [ye] 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 shall speak of 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 my dark saying upon the harp.
5 Why should I fear in times of trouble, when wicked usurpers surround me?
Why should I fear in the days of evil, [when] the iniquity of my heels shall encompass me?
6 They trust in their wealth and boast in their great riches.
They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches;
7 No man can possibly redeem his brother or pay his ransom to God.
None [of them] 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] precious, and it ceaseth for ever: )
9 that he should live on forever and not see decay.
That he should still live for ever, [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, likewise the fool and the brutish person 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 inward thought [is], [that] their houses [shall continue] for ever, [and] their dwelling places 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.
Nevertheless man [being] in honor 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 their posterity approve 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 laid in the grave; death shall feed on them; and the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning; and their beauty shall consume in the grave from their dwelling. (Sheol h7585)
But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave: for he shall receive me. (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 one is made 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 while he lived he blessed his soul: 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.
He 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 honor, and understandeth not, is like the beasts [that] perish.
