< 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:
לַמְנַצֵּ֬חַ ׀ לִבְנֵי־קֹ֬רַח מִזְמֹֽור׃ שִׁמְעוּ־זֹ֭את כָּל־הָֽעַמִּ֑ים הַ֝אֲזִ֗ינוּ כָּל־יֹ֥שְׁבֵי חָֽלֶד׃
2 Both the sons of the low and the sons of the high, rich and needy, altogether.
גַּם־בְּנֵ֣י אָ֭דָם גַּם־בְּנֵי־אִ֑ישׁ יַ֝֗חַד עָשִׁ֥יר וְאֶבְיֹֽון׃
3 My mouth shall speak wisdom; and the meditation of my heart shall be of understanding.
פִּ֭י יְדַבֵּ֣ר חָכְמֹ֑ות וְהָג֖וּת לִבִּ֣י תְבוּנֹֽות׃
4 I will incline my ear to a parable: I will open with the harp my riddle.
אַטֶּ֣ה לְמָשָׁ֣ל אָזְנִ֑י אֶפְתַּ֥ח בְּ֝כִנֹּ֗ור חִידָתֽ͏ִי׃
5 Wherefore should I fear in the days of evil, when the iniquity of my oppressors encompasseth me?—
לָ֣מָּה אִ֭ירָא בִּ֣ימֵי רָ֑ע עֲוֹ֖ן עֲקֵבַ֣י יְסוּבֵּֽנִי׃
6 Of those that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves of the multitude of their riches?
הַבֹּטְחִ֥ים עַל־חֵילָ֑ם וּבְרֹ֥ב עָ֝שְׁרָ֗ם יִתְהַלָּֽלוּ׃
7 No one can in any wise redeem his brother, nor can he give to God redemption money for himself;
אָ֗ח לֹא־פָדֹ֣ה יִפְדֶּ֣ה אִ֑ישׁ לֹא־יִתֵּ֖ן לֵאלֹהִ֣ים כָּפְרֹֽו׃
8 For the ransom of their soul is too costly, and it is omitted for ever.
וְ֭יֵקַר פִּדְיֹ֥ון נַפְשָׁ֗ם וְחָדַ֥ל לְעֹולָֽם׃
9 And should he still live for ever? not see the pit?
וִֽיחִי־עֹ֥וד לָנֶ֑צַח לֹ֖א יִרְאֶ֣ה הַשָּֽׁחַת׃
10 For he must see that wise men die, that together the fool and the brutish person perish and leave to others their wealth.
כִּ֤י יִרְאֶ֨ה ׀ חֲכָ֘מִ֤ים יָמ֗וּתוּ יַ֤חַד כְּסִ֣יל וָבַ֣עַר יֹאבֵ֑דוּ וְעָזְב֖וּ לַאֲחֵרִ֣ים חֵילָֽם׃
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.
קִרְבָּ֤ם בָּתֵּ֨ימֹו ׀ לְֽעֹולָ֗ם מִ֭שְׁכְּנֹתָם לְדֹ֣ר וָדֹ֑ר קָֽרְא֥וּ בִ֝שְׁמֹותָ֗ם עֲלֵ֣י אֲדָמֹֽות׃
12 Nevertheless man in [his] splendor endureth not: he is like the beasts [that] perish.
וְאָדָ֣ם בִּ֭יקָר בַּל־יָלִ֑ין נִמְשַׁ֖ל כַּבְּהֵמֹ֣ות נִדְמֽוּ׃
13 This is their way, their folly: yet their posterity will take pleasure in their sayings. (Selah)
זֶ֣ה דַ֭רְכָּם כֵּ֣סֶל לָ֑מֹו וְאַחֲרֵיהֶ֓ם ׀ בְּפִיהֶ֖ם יִרְצ֣וּ סֶֽלָה׃
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)
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 will take me away. (Selah) (Sheol h7585)
אַךְ־אֱלֹהִ֗ים יִפְדֶּ֣ה נַ֭פְשִׁי מִֽיַּד־שְׁאֹ֑ול כִּ֖י יִקָּחֵ֣נִי סֶֽלָה׃ (Sheol h7585)
16 Be not thou afraid when a man becometh rich, when the glory of his house is increased;
אַל־תִּ֭ירָא כִּֽי־יַעֲשִׁ֣ר אִ֑ישׁ כִּֽי־יִ֝רְבֶּה כְּבֹ֣וד בֵּיתֹֽו׃
17 For when he dieth he can take nothing away; his glory will not descend after him.
כִּ֤י לֹ֣א בְ֭מֹותֹו יִקַּ֣ח הַכֹּ֑ל לֹא־יֵרֵ֖ד אַחֲרָ֣יו כְּבֹודֹֽו׃
18 For though he bless his soul during his life, and men praise thee, when thou doest well to thyself:
כִּֽי־נַ֭פְשֹׁו בְּחַיָּ֣יו יְבָרֵ֑ךְ וְ֝יֹודֻ֗ךָ כִּי־תֵיטִ֥יב לָֽךְ׃
19 She shall go to the generation of his fathers, unto eternity will these never see light.
תָּ֭בֹוא עַד־דֹּ֣ור אֲבֹותָ֑יו עַד־נֵ֝֗צַח לֹ֣א יִרְאוּ־אֹֽור׃
20 Man, though in splendor, who understandeth not, is like the beasts that perish. °
אָדָ֣ם בִּ֭יקָר וְלֹ֣א יָבִ֑ין נִמְשַׁ֖ל כַּבְּהֵמֹ֣ות נִדְמֽוּ׃

< Psalms 49 >