Psalms 49
1 TO THE OVERSEER. A PSALM OF THE SONS OF KORAH. Hear this, all you peoples, Give ear, all you inhabitants of the world.
For the Chief Musician. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. Hear this, all ye peoples; Give ear, all ye inhabitants of the world,
2 Both low and high, together rich and needy.
Both low and high, Rich and poor together.
3 My mouth speaks wise things, And the meditations of my heart [are] things of understanding.
My mouth shall speak wisdom; And the meditation of my heart shall be of understanding.
4 I incline my ear to an allegory, I open my riddle with a harp:
I will incline mine ear to a parable: I will open my dark saying upon the harp.
5 Why do I fear in days of evil? The iniquity of my supplanters surrounds me.
Wherefore should I fear in the days of evil, When iniquity at my heels compasseth me about?
6 Those trusting on their wealth, And in the multitude of their riches, Show themselves foolish.
They that trust in their wealth, And boast themselves in the multitude of their riches;
7 A brother ransoms no one at all, He does not give to God his atonement.
None [of them] can by any means redeem his brother, Nor give to God a ransom for him
8 And precious [is] the redemption of their soul, And it has ceased for all time.
(For the redemption of their life is costly, And it faileth for ever),
9 And still he lives forever, He does not see the pit.
That he should still live alway, That he should not see corruption.
10 For he sees wise men die, Together the foolish and brutish perish, And have left their wealth to others.
For he shall see it. Wise men die; The fool and the brutish alike perish, And leave their wealth to others.
11 Their heart [is that] their houses [are] for all time, Their dwelling places from generation to generation. They proclaimed their names over the lands.
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.
12 And man does not remain in honor, He has been like the beasts, they have been cut off.
But man [being] in honor abideth not: He is like the beasts that perish.
13 This their way [is] folly for them, And their posterity are pleased with their sayings. (Selah)
This their way is their folly: Yet after them men approve their sayings. (Selah)
14 They have set themselves as sheep for Sheol, Death afflicts them, And the upright rule over them in the morning, And their form [is] for consumption. Sheol [is] a dwelling for him. (Sheol h7585)
They are appointed as a flock for Sheol; Death shall be their shepherd: And the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning; And their beauty shall be for Sheol to consume, That there be no habitation for it. (Sheol h7585)
But God will redeem my soul from the power of Sheol; For he will receive me. (Selah) (Sheol h7585)
16 Do not fear when one makes wealth, When the glory of his house is abundant,
Be not thou afraid when one is made rich, When the glory of his house is increased:
17 For at his death he receives nothing, His glory does not go down after him.
For when he dieth he shall carry nothing away; His glory shall not descend after him.
18 For he blesses his soul in his life (And they praise you when you do well for yourself).
Though while he lived he blessed his soul (And men praise thee, when thou doest well to thyself),
19 It comes to the generation of his fathers, They do not see the light forever.
He shall go to the generation of his fathers; They shall never see the light.
20 Man in honor, who does not understand, Has been like the beasts, they have been cut off!
Man that is in honor, and understandeth not, Is like the beasts that perish.
