Psalms 49
1 For the end, a Psalm for the sons of Core. Hear these words, all you nations, listen, all you that dwell upon the earth:
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 the sons of mean men, and sons of [great] men; the rich and poor [man] together.
Both men of low and men of high degree, rich and poor alike.
3 My mouth shall speak of wisdom; and the meditation of my heart shall bring [forth] understanding.
My mouth shall speak wisdom, and the meditation of my heart shall be of understanding:
4 I will incline mine ear to a parable: I will open my riddle on the harp.
I will incline mine ear to a parable, I will open my riddle upon the harp.
5 Therefore should I fear in the evil day? the iniquity of my heel shall compass me.
Wherefore should I fear in the days of adversity, [when] the iniquity of my supplanters encompasseth me? —
6 They that trust in their strength, and boast themselves in the multitude of their wealth—
They depend upon their wealth, and boast themselves in the abundance of their riches. ...
7 A brother does not redeem, shall a man redeem? he shall not give to God a ransom for himself,
None can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him,
8 or the price of the redemption of his soul, though he labour for ever,
(For the redemption of their soul is costly, and must be given up for ever, )
9 and live to the end, [so] that he should not see corruption.
That he should still live perpetually, [and] not see corruption.
10 When he shall see wise men dying, the fool and the senseless one shall perish together; and they shall leave their wealth to strangers.
For he seeth that wise men die; all alike, the fool and the brutish perish, and they leave their wealth to others.
11 And their sepulchres are their houses for ever, [even] their tabernacles to all generations: they have called their lands after their own names.
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 And man being in honour, understands not: he is compared to the senseless cattle, and is like to them.
Nevertheless, man being in honour abideth not: he is like the beasts that perish.
13 This their way is an offence to them: yet afterwards men will commend their sayings. (Pause)
This their way is their folly, yet they that come after them delight in their sayings. (Selah)
14 They have laid [them] as sheep in Hades; death shall feed on them; and the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning, and their help shall fail in Hades from their glory. (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)
15 But God shall deliver my soul from the power of Hades, when he shall receive me. (Pause) (Sheol h7585)
But God will redeem my soul from the power of Sheol: for he will receive me. (Selah) (Sheol h7585)
16 Fear not when a man is enriched, and when the glory of his house is increased.
Be not afraid when a man becometh rich, when the glory of his house is increased:
17 For he shall take nothing when he dies; neither shall his glory descend with him.
For when he dieth, he shall carry nothing away; his glory shall not descend after him.
18 For his soul shall be blessed in his life: he shall give thanks to you when you do well to him.
Though he blessed his soul in his lifetime, — and men will praise thee when thou doest well to thyself, —
19 [Yet] he shall go in to the generation of his fathers; he shall never see light.
It shall go to the generation of his fathers: they shall never see light.
20 Man that is in honour, understands not: he is compared to the senseless cattle, and is like them.
Man that is in honour, and understandeth not, is like the beasts that perish.
