Psalms 49
1 “To the chief musician, by the sons of Korach, a psalm.” Hear this, all ye people; give ear, all ye inhabitants of the perishable 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 the sons of the low and the sons of the high, rich and needy, altogether.
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 my ear to a parable: I will open with the harp my riddle.
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 evil, when the iniquity of my oppressors encompasseth me?—
Why shall I fear in the evil day? the iniquity of my heel shall encompass me.
6 Of those that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves of the multitude of their riches?
They that trust in their own strength, and glory in the multitude of their riches,
7 No one can in any wise redeem his brother, nor can he give to God redemption money for himself;
No brother can redeem, nor shall man redeem: he shall not give to God his ransom,
8 For the ransom of their soul is too costly, and it is omitted for ever.
Nor the price of the redemption of his soul: and shall labour for ever,
9 And should he still live for ever? not see the pit?
And shall still live unto the end.
10 For he must see that wise men die, that together the fool and the brutish person perish and leave to others their wealth.
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 to be for ever, their dwelling-places, from generation to generation; they call them by their own names in [various] countries.
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 in [his] splendor endureth 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 is their way, their folly: yet their posterity will take pleasure in their sayings. (Selah)
This way of theirs is a stumblingblock to them: and afterwards they shall delight in their mouth.
14 Like flocks are they thrust into the nether world; death will feed them; but the upright shall have dominion over them in that morning, and their form wasteth away in the nether world, [taken away] from their own dwelling. (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 the nether world; for he will take me away. (Selah) (Sheol h7585)
But God will redeem my soul from the hand of hell, when he shall receive me. (Sheol h7585)
16 Be not thou 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 can take nothing away; his glory will not descend after him.
For when he shall die he shall take nothing away; nor shall his glory descend with him.
18 For though he bless his soul during his life, and men 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 She shall go to the generation of his fathers, unto eternity will these never see light.
He shall go in to the generations of his fathers: and he shall never see light.
20 Man, though in splendor, who 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.
