< 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,
לַמְנַצֵּ֬חַ ׀ לִבְנֵי־קֹ֬רַח מִזְמֹֽור׃ שִׁמְעוּ־זֹ֭את כָּל־הָֽעַמִּ֑ים הַ֝אֲזִ֗ינוּ כָּל־יֹ֥שְׁבֵי חָֽלֶד׃
2 Both low and high, rich and poor together.
גַּם־בְּנֵ֣י אָ֭דָם גַּם־בְּנֵי־אִ֑ישׁ יַ֝֗חַד עָשִׁ֥יר וְאֶבְיֹֽון׃
3 My mouth shall speak wisdom, and the meditation of my heart shall be understanding.
פִּ֭י יְדַבֵּ֣ר חָכְמֹ֑ות וְהָג֖וּת לִבִּ֣י תְבוּנֹֽות׃
4 I will incline mine ear to a parable; I will open my dark saying upon the harp.
אַטֶּ֣ה לְמָשָׁ֣ל אָזְנִ֑י אֶפְתַּ֥ח בְּ֝כִנֹּ֗ור חִידָתֽ͏ִי׃
5 Wherefore should I fear in the days of evil, when the iniquity of my supplanters compasseth me about,
לָ֣מָּה אִ֭ירָא בִּ֣ימֵי רָ֑ע עֲוֹ֖ן עֲקֵבַ֣י יְסוּבֵּֽנִי׃
6 Of them that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches?
הַבֹּטְחִ֥ים עַל־חֵילָ֑ם וּבְרֹ֥ב עָ֝שְׁרָ֗ם יִתְהַלָּֽלוּ׃
7 No man can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him —
אָ֗ח לֹא־פָדֹ֣ה יִפְדֶּ֣ה אִ֑ישׁ לֹא־יִתֵּ֖ן לֵאלֹהִ֣ים כָּפְרֹֽו׃
8 For too costly is the redemption of their soul, and must be let alone for ever —
וְ֭יֵקַר פִּדְיֹ֥ון נַפְשָׁ֗ם וְחָדַ֥ל לְעֹולָֽם׃
9 That he should still live alway, that he should not see the pit.
וִֽיחִי־עֹ֥וד לָנֶ֑צַח לֹ֖א יִרְאֶ֣ה הַשָּֽׁחַת׃
10 For he seeth that wise men die, the fool and the brutish together perish, and leave their wealth to others.
כִּ֤י יִרְאֶ֨ה ׀ חֲכָ֘מִ֤ים יָמ֗וּתוּ יַ֤חַד כְּסִ֣יל וָבַ֣עַר יֹאבֵ֑דוּ וְעָזְב֖וּ לַאֲחֵרִ֣ים חֵילָֽם׃
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.
קִרְבָּ֤ם בָּתֵּ֨ימֹו ׀ לְֽעֹולָ֗ם מִ֭שְׁכְּנֹתָם לְדֹ֣ר וָדֹ֑ר קָֽרְא֥וּ בִ֝שְׁמֹותָ֗ם עֲלֵ֣י אֲדָמֹֽות׃
12 But man abideth not in honour; he is like the beasts that perish.
וְאָדָ֣ם בִּ֭יקָר בַּל־יָלִ֑ין נִמְשַׁ֖ל כַּבְּהֵמֹ֣ות נִדְמֽוּ׃
13 This is the way of them that are foolish, and of those who after them approve their sayings. (Selah)
זֶ֣ה דַ֭רְכָּם כֵּ֣סֶל לָ֑מֹו וְאַחֲרֵיהֶ֓ם ׀ בְּפִיהֶ֖ם יִרְצ֣וּ סֶֽלָה׃
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)
כַּצֹּ֤אן ׀ לִֽשְׁאֹ֣ול שַׁתּוּ֮ מָ֤וֶת יִ֫רְעֵ֥ם וַיִּרְדּ֘וּ בָ֤ם יְשָׁרִ֨ים ׀ לַבֹּ֗קֶר וְצִירָם (וְ֭צוּרָם) לְבַלֹּ֥ות שְׁאֹ֗ול מִזְּבֻ֥ל לֹֽו׃ (Sheol h7585)
15 But God will redeem my soul from the power of the nether-world; for He shall receive me. (Selah) (Sheol h7585)
אַךְ־אֱלֹהִ֗ים יִפְדֶּ֣ה נַ֭פְשִׁי מִֽיַּד־שְׁאֹ֑ול כִּ֖י יִקָּחֵ֣נִי סֶֽלָה׃ (Sheol h7585)
16 Be not thou afraid when one waxeth rich, when the wealth of his house is increased;
אַל־תִּ֭ירָא כִּֽי־יַעֲשִׁ֣ר אִ֑ישׁ כִּֽי־יִ֝רְבֶּה כְּבֹ֣וד בֵּיתֹֽו׃
17 For when he dieth he shall carry nothing away; his wealth shall not descend after him.
כִּ֤י לֹ֣א בְ֭מֹותֹו יִקַּ֣ח הַכֹּ֑ל לֹא־יֵרֵ֖ד אַחֲרָ֣יו כְּבֹודֹֽו׃
18 Though while he lived he blessed his soul: 'Men will praise thee, when thou shalt do well to thyself';
כִּֽי־נַ֭פְשֹׁו בְּחַיָּ֣יו יְבָרֵ֑ךְ וְ֝יֹודֻ֗ךָ כִּי־תֵיטִ֥יב לָֽךְ׃
19 It shall go to the generation of his fathers; they shall never see the light.
תָּ֭בֹוא עַד־דֹּ֣ור אֲבֹותָ֑יו עַד־נֵ֝֗צַח לֹ֣א יִרְאוּ־אֹֽור׃
20 Man that is in honour understandeth not; he is like the beasts that perish.
אָדָ֣ם בִּ֭יקָר וְלֹ֣א יָבִ֑ין נִמְשַׁ֖ל כַּבְּהֵמֹ֣ות נִדְמֽוּ׃

< Psalms 49 >