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.
“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:
2 Both low and high, together rich and needy.
Both the sons of the low and the sons of the high, rich and needy, altogether.
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 my ear to a parable: I will open with the harp my riddle.
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 the iniquity of my oppressors encompasseth me?—
6 Those trusting on their wealth, And in the multitude of their riches, Show themselves foolish.
Of those that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves of the multitude of their riches?
7 A brother ransoms no one at all, He does not give to God his atonement.
No one can in any wise redeem his brother, nor can he give to God redemption money for himself;
8 And precious [is] the redemption of their soul, And it has ceased for all time.
For the ransom of their soul is too costly, and it is omitted for ever.
9 And still he lives forever, He does not see the pit.
And should he still live for ever? not see the pit?
10 For he sees wise men die, Together the foolish and brutish perish, And have left their wealth to others.
For he must see that wise men die, that together the fool and the brutish person perish and leave to others their wealth.
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 are to be for ever, their dwelling-places, from generation to generation; they call them by their own names in [various] countries.
12 And man does not remain in honor, He has been like the beasts, they have been cut off.
Nevertheless man in [his] splendor endureth 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 is their way, their folly: yet their posterity will take pleasure in 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)
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)
But God will redeem my soul from the power of the nether world; for he will take me away. (Selah) (Sheol h7585)
16 Do not fear when one makes wealth, When the glory of his house is abundant,
Be not thou afraid when a man becometh 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 can take nothing away; his glory will not descend after him.
18 For he blesses his soul in his life (And they praise you when you do well for yourself).
For though he bless his soul during his life, 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.
She shall go to the generation of his fathers, unto eternity will these never see light.
20 Man in honor, who does not understand, Has been like the beasts, they have been cut off!
Man, though in splendor, who understandeth not, is like the beasts that perish. °
