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.
You people of all ethnic groups, listen! You people all over the world,
2 Both low and high, together rich and needy.
important people and unimportant people, rich people and poor people, everyone, [listen to what I am saying],
3 My mouth speaks wise things, And the meditations of my heart [are] things of understanding.
[because] what I am thinking is very sensible, and what I say will enable you to become wise!
4 I incline my ear to an allegory, I open my riddle with a harp:
I think about [MTY] (proverbs/wise sayings), and while I play my harp, I explain what they mean.
5 Why do I fear in days of evil? The iniquity of my supplanters surrounds me.
I am not [RHQ] afraid when I am in trouble/danger, when I am surrounded by my enemies,
6 Those trusting on their wealth, And in the multitude of their riches, Show themselves foolish.
by evil men who trust that [things will always go well for them because] they are wealthy, and who boast about being very rich.
7 A brother ransoms no one at all, He does not give to God his atonement.
[They may be rich], but no one can pay money with the result that he would live forever! No one can pay God enough so that God will allow him [to continue] to live,
8 And precious [is] the redemption of their soul, And it has ceased for all time.
because that cost is too great, and he will never be able to pay enough
9 And still he lives forever, He does not see the pit.
with the result that he will live forever and never [die and] be buried!
10 For he sees wise men die, Together the foolish and brutish perish, And have left their wealth to others.
We see that foolish and stupid people die, but we see that wise people also die; they all leave their wealth, and others inherit it.
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.
Those wise people once had [houses on] land that they owned, [but now] their graves are their homes forever, the place where they will stay for all time!
12 And man does not remain in honor, He has been like the beasts, they have been cut off.
Even if people are great, that cannot prevent them from dying; all people die, the same as animals do.
13 This their way [is] folly for them, And their posterity are pleased with their sayings. (Selah)
That is what happens to those who foolishly trust [in what they have accomplished], to those who are delighted in [all] that they possess.
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 certain to die just like sheep, when a shepherd leads them away to be slaughtered. [PRS, MET] In the morning righteous people will rule over them, and then [those wealthy people will die and] their bodies will quickly decay in their graves; they will be where dead people are, far from their homes. (Sheol h7585)
But it is certain that God will rescue me so that I am not kept in the place of the dead. (Sheol h7585)
16 Do not fear when one makes wealth, When the glory of his house is abundant,
[So], do not be dismayed when someone becomes rich and the houses where they live become more and more luxurious,
17 For at his death he receives nothing, His glory does not go down after him.
because when he dies, he will take nothing with him; his wealth will not go with him.
18 For he blesses his soul in his life (And they praise you when you do well for yourself).
While [a rich person] is alive, he congratulates himself, and people praise him for being successful,
19 It comes to the generation of his fathers, They do not see the light forever.
but he will [die], joining his ancestors, who will never see daylight again.
20 Man in honor, who does not understand, Has been like the beasts, they have been cut off!
Even if someone is great, that cannot prevent him from dying; he will die, the same as animals do.
