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 by the sons of Korah. Hear this, all you peoples. Listen, all you 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 will speak words of wisdom. My heart will utter understanding.
4 I incline my ear to an allegory, I open my riddle with a harp:
I will incline my ear to a proverb. I will solve my riddle on the harp.
5 Why do I fear in days of evil? The iniquity of my supplanters surrounds me.
Why should I fear in the days of evil, when iniquity at my heels surrounds me?
6 Those trusting on their wealth, And in the multitude of their riches, Show themselves foolish.
Those who trust in their wealth, and boast 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 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, no payment is ever enough,
9 And still he lives forever, He does not see the pit.
that he should live on forever, 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 sees that wise men die; likewise the fool and the senseless 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 will endure forever, and their dwelling places to all generations. They name their lands after themselves.
12 And man does not remain in honor, He has been like the beasts, they have been cut off.
But man, despite his riches, doesn’t endure. He is like the animals that perish.
13 This their way [is] folly for them, And their posterity are pleased with their sayings. (Selah)
This is the destiny of those who are foolish, and of those who 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. The upright shall have dominion over them in the morning. Their beauty shall decay in Sheol, far from their mansion. (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,
Don’t be afraid when a man 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 dies he will carry nothing away. His glory won’t 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 you when you do well for yourself—
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!
A man who has riches without understanding, is like the animals that perish.
