Psalms 49

1 For the Leader; a Psalm of the sons of Korah. Hear this, all ye peoples; give ear, all ye inhabitants of the world,

You people of all ethnic groups, listen! You people all over the world,

2 Both low and high, rich and poor together.

important people and unimportant people, rich people and poor people, everyone, [listen to what I am saying],

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

[because] what I am thinking is very sensible, and what I say will enable you to become wise!

4 I will incline mine ear to a parable; I will open my dark saying upon the harp.

I think about [MTY] (proverbs/wise sayings), and while I play my harp, I explain what they mean.

5 Wherefore should I fear in the days of evil, when the iniquity of my supplanters compasseth me about,

I am not [RHQ] afraid when I am in trouble/danger, when I am surrounded by my enemies,

6 Of them that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches?

by evil men who trust that [things will always go well for them because] they are wealthy, and who boast about being very rich.

7 No man can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him —

[They may be rich], but no one can pay money with the result that he would live forever! No one can pay God enough so that God will allow him [to continue] to live,

8 For too costly is the redemption of their soul, and must be let alone for ever —

because that cost is too great, and he will never be able to pay enough

9 That he should still live alway, that he should not see the pit.

with the result that he will live forever and never [die and] be buried!

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

We see that foolish and stupid people die, but we see that wise people also die; they all leave their wealth, and others inherit it.

11 Their inward thought is, that their houses shall continue for ever, and their dwelling-places to all generations; they call their lands after their own names.

Those wise people once had [houses on] land that they owned, [but now] their graves are their homes forever, the place where they will stay for all time!

12 But man abideth not in honour; he is like the beasts that perish.

Even if people are great, that cannot prevent them from dying; all people die, the same as animals do.

13 This is the way of them that are foolish, and of those who after them approve their sayings. (Selah)

That is what happens to those who foolishly trust [in what they have accomplished], to those who are delighted in [all] that they possess.

14 Like sheep they are appointed for the nether-world; death shall be their shepherd; and the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning; and their form shall be for the nether-world to wear away, that there be no habitation for it. (Sheol h7585)

They are certain to die just like sheep, when a shepherd leads them away to be slaughtered. [PRS, MET] In the morning righteous people will rule over them, and then [those wealthy people will die and] their bodies will quickly decay in their graves; they will be where dead people are, far from their homes. (Sheol h7585)

15 But God will redeem my soul from the power of the nether-world; for He shall receive me. (Selah) (Sheol h7585)

But it is certain that God will rescue me so that I am not kept in the place of the dead. (Sheol h7585)

16 Be not thou afraid when one waxeth rich, when the wealth of his house is increased;

[So], do not be dismayed when someone becomes rich and the houses where they live become more and more luxurious,

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

because when he dies, he will take nothing with him; his wealth will not go with him.

18 Though while he lived he blessed his soul: 'Men will praise thee, when thou shalt do well to thyself';

While [a rich person] is alive, he congratulates himself, and people praise him for being successful,

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

but he will [die], joining his ancestors, who will never see daylight again.

20 Man that is in honour understandeth not; he is like the beasts that perish.

Even if someone is great, that cannot prevent him from dying; he will die, the same as animals do.