Psalms 49

1 For the music director. A psalm of the sons of Korah. Listen to this, everyone! Pay attention, people 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 whether you are highborn or lowborn, rich or poor!

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

3 For what I say is wise, and my thinking is perceptive.

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

4 I pay attention to wise sayings; I answer hard questions to a tune on the harp.

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

5 Why should I be afraid when trouble comes, when evil enemies surround me?

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

6 They trust in their wealth; they boast about their riches,

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

7 but no one can pay to rescue another from death; no one can pay a ransom to God.

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

8 Redemption is beyond price; no one could ever pay enough

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

9 that they could live forever and not face the grave.

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

10 Everyone knows that the wise die, those who are foolish and stupid too, leaving what they have to the next generation.

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 They think their homes will last forever, that where they live will continue for all generations.

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

12 But human beings, for all their fame, don't understand. They die, just like the animals.

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

13 This is the way of foolish people, yet those who come after them think they were clever! (Selah)

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

14 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)

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 But surely God will rescue me from the power of the grave; he will grab me back. (Selah) (Sheol h7585)

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

16 Don't be disturbed when people become rich, filling their houses with possessions.

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

17 For they won't take anything with them when they die; their wealth will not go down into the grave with them.

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

18 They congratulate themselves for all they possess—people always praise you when you do well—

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

19 but their destiny is the same as their forefathers: they will never again see the light of day.

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

20 Human beings, for all their fame, don't understand, and they die, just like the animals.

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