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 leader of the music. A psalm of the sons of Korah.” Hear this, all ye nations; Give ear, all ye inhabitants of the world;
2 whoever is earth-born, you sons of men, together as one, the rich and the poor.
Both high and low, rich and poor alike!
3 My mouth will speak wisdom, and the meditation of my heart will speak prudence.
My mouth shall speak wisdom, And the meditation of my mind shall be 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 poem; I will utter my song upon the harp.
5 Why should I fear in the evil day? The iniquity at my heel will surround me.
Why should I fear in the days of adversity, When the iniquity of my adversaries encompasseth me;
6 Those who trust in their own strength and who glory in the multitude of their riches,
They who trust in their riches, And glory in the greatness of their wealth?
7 no brother redeems, nor will man buy back. He will not give to God his appeasement,
No one can redeem his brother from death, Nor give a ransom for him to God,
8 nor the price for the redemption of his soul. And he will labor continuously,
That he should live to eternity, And not see the pit.
9 and he will still live, until the end.
Too costly is the redemption of his life, And he giveth it up for ever.
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.
For he seeth that wise men die, As well as the foolish and the ignorant; They perish alike, And leave their wealth to others.
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 imagine that their houses will endure for ever, And their dwelling-places from generation to generation: Men celebrate their names on the earth.
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.
Yet man, who is in honor, abideth not; He is like the beasts that perish.
13 This way of theirs is a scandal to them. And afterwards, they will delight in their mouth.
Such is the way which is their confidence! And they who come after them approve their maxims. (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)
Like sheep they are cast into the underworld; Death shall feed upon them; And the upright shall soon trample upon them. Their form shall be consumed in the underworld, And they shall no more have a dwelling-place. (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 will redeem my life from the underworld; Yea, he will take me under his care. (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.
Be not thou afraid, when one becometh rich; 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, when he dieth, he will carry nothing away; His glory will not descend after him.
18 For his soul will be blessed in his lifetime, and he will admit to you when you do good to him.
Though in his life he thought himself happy, —Though men praised thee, while thou wast in prosperity, —
19 He will even enter with the progeny of his fathers, but, even in eternity, he will not see the light.
Yet shalt thou go to the dwelling-place of thy fathers, Who never more shall see the 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.
The man who is in honor, but without understanding, Is like the beasts that perish.
