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 music director. A psalm of the sons of Korah. Listen to this, everyone! Pay attention, people of the world—
2 whoever is earth-born, you sons of men, together as one, the rich and the poor.
whether you are highborn or lowborn, rich or poor!
3 My mouth will speak wisdom, and the meditation of my heart will speak prudence.
For what I say is wise, and my thinking is perceptive.
4 I will incline my ear to a parable. I will open my case with the psaltery.
I pay attention to wise sayings; I answer hard questions to a tune on the harp.
5 Why should I fear in the evil day? The iniquity at my heel will surround me.
Why should I be afraid when trouble comes, when evil enemies surround me?
6 Those who trust in their own strength and who glory in the multitude of their riches,
They trust in their wealth; they boast about their riches,
7 no brother redeems, nor will man buy back. He will not give to God his appeasement,
but no one can pay to rescue another from death; no one can pay a ransom to God.
8 nor the price for the redemption of his soul. And he will labor continuously,
Redemption is beyond price; no one could ever pay enough
9 and he will still live, until the end.
that they could live forever and not face the grave.
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.
Everyone knows that the wise die, those who are foolish and stupid too, leaving what they have to the next generation.
11 And their sepulchers will be their houses forever, their tabernacles from generation to generation. They have called their names in their own lands.
They think their homes will last forever, that where they live will continue for all generations.
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.
But human beings, for all their fame, don't understand. They die, just like the animals.
13 This way of theirs is a scandal to them. And afterwards, they will delight in their mouth.
This is the way of foolish people, yet those who come after them think they were clever! (Selah)
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)
Like sheep they are destined for the grave. Death will be their shepherd. Those who live right will rule over them in the morning. Their bodies will decay in the grave, far from their homes. (Sheol h7585)
15 Even so, truly God will redeem my soul from the hand of Hell, when he will receive me. (Sheol h7585)
But surely God will rescue me from the power of the grave; he will grab me back. (Selah) (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.
Don't be disturbed when people become rich, filling their houses with possessions.
17 For when he dies, he will take nothing away, and his glory will not descend with him.
For they won't take anything with them when they die; their wealth will not go down into the grave with them.
18 For his soul will be blessed in his lifetime, and he will admit to you when you do good to him.
They congratulate themselves for all they possess—people always praise you when you do well—
19 He will even enter with the progeny of his fathers, but, even in eternity, he will not see the light.
but their destiny is the same as their forefathers: they will never again see the light of day.
20 Man, when he was in honor, did not understand. He has been compared to the senseless beasts, and he has become like them.
Human beings, for all their fame, don't understand, and they die, just like the animals.
