Psalms 49
1 Unto the end, a psalm for the sons of Core. Hear these things, all ye nations: give ear, all ye 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 All you that are earthborn, and you sons of men: both rich and poor together.
whether you are highborn or lowborn, rich or poor!
3 My mouth shall speak wisdom: and the meditation of my heart understanding.
For what I say is wise, and my thinking is perceptive.
4 I will incline my ear to a parable; I will open my proposition on the psaltery.
I pay attention to wise sayings; I answer hard questions to a tune on the harp.
5 Why shall I fear in the evil day? the iniquity of my heel shall encompass me.
Why should I be afraid when trouble comes, when evil enemies surround me?
6 They that trust in their own strength, and glory in the multitude of their riches,
They trust in their wealth; they boast about their riches,
7 No brother can redeem, nor shall man redeem: he shall not give to God his ransom,
but no one can pay to rescue another from death; no one can pay a ransom to God.
8 Nor the price of the redemption of his soul: and shall labour for ever,
Redemption is beyond price; no one could ever pay enough
9 And shall still live unto the end.
that they could live forever and not face the grave.
10 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:
Everyone knows that the wise die, those who are foolish and stupid too, leaving what they have to the next generation.
11 And their sepulchres shall be their houses for ever. Their dwelling places to all generations: they have called their lands by their names.
They think their homes will last forever, that where they live will continue for all generations.
12 And man when he was in honour did not understand; he is compared to senseless beasts, and is become like to them.
But human beings, for all their fame, don't understand. They die, just like the animals.
13 This way of theirs is a stumblingblock to them: and afterwards they shall delight in their mouth.
This is the way of foolish people, yet those who come after them think they were clever! (Selah)
14 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)
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)
But surely God will rescue me from the power of the grave; he will grab me back. (Selah) (Sheol h7585)
16 Be not thou afraid, when a man shall be made rich, and when the glory of his house shall be increased.
Don't be disturbed when people become rich, filling their houses with possessions.
17 For when he shall die he shall take nothing away; nor shall his glory 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 in his lifetime his soul will be blessed: and he will praise thee when thou shalt do well to him.
They congratulate themselves for all they possess—people always praise you when you do well—
19 He shall go in to the generations of his fathers: and he shall never see 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 honour did not understand: he hath been compared to senseless beasts, and made like to them.
Human beings, for all their fame, don't understand, and they die, just like the animals.
