Psalms 49

1 Unto the end. A Psalm to the sons of Korah. Hear these things, all nations. Pay attention, all inhabitants of the world:

For the end, a Psalm for the sons of Core. Hear these words, all you nations, listen, all you that dwell upon the earth:

2 whoever is earth-born, you sons of men, together as one, the rich and the poor.

both the sons of mean men, and sons of [great] men; the rich and poor [man] together.

3 My mouth will speak wisdom, and the meditation of my heart will speak prudence.

My mouth shall speak of wisdom; and the meditation of my heart shall bring [forth] understanding.

4 I will incline my ear to a parable. I will open my case with the psaltery.

I will incline mine ear to a parable: I will open my riddle on the harp.

5 Why should I fear in the evil day? The iniquity at my heel will surround me.

Therefore should I fear in the evil day? the iniquity of my heel shall compass me.

6 Those who trust in their own strength and who glory in the multitude of their riches,

They that trust in their strength, and boast themselves in the multitude of their wealth—

7 no brother redeems, nor will man buy back. He will not give to God his appeasement,

A brother does not redeem, shall a man redeem? he shall not give to God a ransom for himself,

8 nor the price for the redemption of his soul. And he will labor continuously,

or the price of the redemption of his soul, though he labour for ever,

9 and he will still live, until the end.

and live to the end, [so] that he should not see corruption.

10 He will not see death, when he sees the wise dying: the foolish and the senseless will perish together. And they will leave their riches to strangers.

When he shall see wise men dying, the fool and the senseless one shall perish together; and they shall leave their wealth to strangers.

11 And their sepulchers will be their houses forever, their tabernacles from generation to generation. They have called their names in their own lands.

And their sepulchres are their houses for ever, [even] their tabernacles to all generations: they have called their lands after their own names.

12 And man, when he was held in honor, did not understand. He has been compared to the senseless beasts, and he has become like them.

And man being in honour, understands not: he is compared to the senseless cattle, and is like to them.

13 This way of theirs is a scandal to them. And afterwards, they will delight in their mouth.

This their way is an offence to them: yet afterwards men will commend their sayings. (Pause)

14 They have been placed in Hell like sheep. Death will feed on them. And the just will have dominion over them in the morning. And their help will grow old in Hell for their glory. (Sheol h7585)

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)

15 Even so, truly God will redeem my soul from the hand of Hell, when he will receive me. (Sheol h7585)

But God shall deliver my soul from the power of Hades, when he shall receive me. (Pause) (Sheol h7585)

16 Do not be afraid, when a man will have been made rich, and when the glory of his house will have been multiplied.

Fear not when a man is enriched, and when the glory of his house is increased.

17 For when he dies, he will take nothing away, and his glory will not descend with him.

For he shall take nothing when he dies; neither shall his glory descend with him.

18 For his soul will be blessed in his lifetime, and he will admit to you when you do good to him.

For his soul shall be blessed in his life: he shall give thanks to you when you do well to him.

19 He will even enter with the progeny of his fathers, but, even in eternity, he will not see the light.

[Yet] he shall go in to the generation of his fathers; he shall never see light.

20 Man, when he was in honor, did not understand. He has been compared to the senseless beasts, and he has become like them.

Man that is in honour, understands not: he is compared to the senseless cattle, and is like them.