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.
Alamoth. To the chief music-maker. Of the sons of Korah. A Psalm. Give attention to this, all you peoples; let your ears be open, all you who are living in the world.
2 Both low and high, together rich and needy.
High and low together, the poor, and those who have wealth.
3 My mouth speaks wise things, And the meditations of my heart [are] things of understanding.
From my mouth will come words of wisdom; and in the thoughts of my heart will be knowledge.
4 I incline my ear to an allegory, I open my riddle with a harp:
I will put my teaching into a story; I will make my dark sayings clear with music.
5 Why do I fear in days of evil? The iniquity of my supplanters surrounds me.
What cause have I for fear in the days of evil, when the evil-doing of those who are working for my downfall is round about me?
6 Those trusting on their wealth, And in the multitude of their riches, Show themselves foolish.
Even of those whose faith is in their wealth, and whose hearts are lifted up because of their stores.
7 A brother ransoms no one at all, He does not give to God his atonement.
Truly, no man may get back his soul for a price, or give to God the payment for himself;
8 And precious [is] the redemption of their soul, And it has ceased for all time.
(Because it takes a great price to keep his soul from death, and man is not able to give it.)
9 And still he lives forever, He does not see the pit.
So that he might have eternal life, and never see the underworld.
10 For he sees wise men die, Together the foolish and brutish perish, And have left their wealth to others.
For he sees that wise men come to their end, and foolish persons of low behaviour come to destruction together, letting their wealth go 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.
The place of the dead is their house for ever, and their resting-place through all generations; those who come after them give their names to their lands.
12 And man does not remain in honor, He has been like the beasts, they have been cut off.
But man, like the animals, does not go on for ever; he comes to an end like the beasts.
13 This their way [is] folly for them, And their posterity are pleased with their sayings. (Selah)
This is the way of the foolish; their silver is for those who come after them, and their children get the pleasure of their gold. (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)
Death will give them their food like sheep; the underworld is their fate and they will go down into it; their flesh is food for worms; their form is wasted away; the underworld is their resting-place for ever. (Sheol h7585)
But God will get back my soul; for he will take me from the power of death. (Selah) (Sheol h7585)
16 Do not fear when one makes wealth, When the glory of his house is abundant,
Have no fear when wealth comes to a man, and the glory of his house is increased;
17 For at his death he receives nothing, His glory does not go down after him.
For at his death, he will take nothing away; his glory will not go down after him.
18 For he blesses his soul in his life (And they praise you when you do well for yourself).
Though he might have pride in his soul in his life-time, and men will give you praise if you do well for yourself,
19 It comes to the generation of his fathers, They do not see the light forever.
He will go to the generation of his fathers; he will not see the light again.
20 Man in honor, who does not understand, Has been like the beasts, they have been cut off!
Man, like the animals, does not go on for ever; he comes to an end like the beasts.
