Psalms 49

1 To the chief Musician. Of the sons of Korah. A Psalm. Hear this, all ye peoples; give ear, all inhabitants of the world:

Unto the end, a psalm for the sons of Core. Hear these things, all ye nations: give ear, all ye inhabitants of the world.

2 Both men of low and men of high degree, rich and poor alike.

All you that are earthborn, and you sons of men: both rich and poor together.

3 My mouth shall speak wisdom, and the meditation of my heart shall be of understanding:

My mouth shall speak wisdom: and the meditation of my heart understanding.

4 I will incline mine ear to a parable, I will open my riddle upon the harp.

I will incline my ear to a parable; I will open my proposition on the psaltery.

5 Wherefore should I fear in the days of adversity, [when] the iniquity of my supplanters encompasseth me? —

Why shall I fear in the evil day? the iniquity of my heel shall encompass me.

6 They depend upon their wealth, and boast themselves in the abundance of their riches. ...

They that trust in their own strength, and glory in the multitude of their riches,

7 None can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him,

No brother can redeem, nor shall man redeem: he shall not give to God his ransom,

8 (For the redemption of their soul is costly, and must be given up for ever, )

Nor the price of the redemption of his soul: and shall labour for ever,

9 That he should still live perpetually, [and] not see corruption.

And shall still live unto the end.

10 For he seeth that wise men die; all alike, the fool and the brutish perish, and they leave their wealth to others.

He shall not see destruction, when he shall see the wise dying: the senseless and the fool shall perish together: And they shall leave their riches to strangers:

11 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.

And their sepulchres shall be their houses for ever. Their dwelling places to all generations: they have called their lands by their names.

12 Nevertheless, man being in honour abideth not: he is like the beasts that perish.

And man when he was in honour did not understand; he is compared to senseless beasts, and is become like to them.

13 This their way is their folly, yet they that come after them delight in their sayings. (Selah)

This way of theirs is a stumblingblock to them: and afterwards they shall delight in their mouth.

14 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)

They are laid in hell like sheep: death shall feed upon them. And the just shall have dominion over them in the morning; and their help shall decay in hell from their glory. (Sheol h7585)

15 But God will redeem my soul from the power of Sheol: for he will receive me. (Selah) (Sheol h7585)

But God will redeem my soul from the hand of hell, when he shall receive me. (Sheol h7585)

16 Be not afraid when a man becometh rich, when the glory of his house is increased:

Be not thou afraid, when a man shall be made rich, and when the glory of his house shall be increased.

17 For when he dieth, he shall carry nothing away; his glory shall not descend after him.

For when he shall die he shall take nothing away; nor shall his glory descend with him.

18 Though he blessed his soul in his lifetime, — and men will praise thee when thou doest well to thyself, —

For in his lifetime his soul will be blessed: and he will praise thee when thou shalt do well to him.

19 It shall go to the generation of his fathers: they shall never see light.

He shall go in to the generations of his fathers: and he shall never see light.

20 Man that is in honour, and understandeth not, is like the beasts that perish.

Man when he was in honour did not understand: he hath been compared to senseless beasts, and made like to them.