Psalms 49
1 [For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by the sons of Korah.] Hear this, all you peoples. Listen, all you inhabitants of the world,
For the music director. A psalm of the sons of Korah. Listen to this, everyone! Pay attention, people of the world—
2 both low and high, rich and poor together.
whether you are highborn or lowborn, rich or poor!
3 My mouth will speak words of wisdom. My heart shall utter understanding.
For what I say is wise, and my thinking is perceptive.
4 I will incline my ear to a proverb. I will open my riddle on the harp.
I pay attention to wise sayings; I answer hard questions to a tune on the harp.
5 Why should I fear in the days of evil, when the iniquity of those who deceive me surrounds me?
Why should I be afraid when trouble comes, when evil enemies surround me?
6 They trust in their wealth, and boast in the multitude of their riches.
They trust in their wealth; they boast about their riches,
7 Truly these cannot redeem a person, nor give to God a ransom for him.
but no one can pay to rescue another from death; no one can pay a ransom to God.
8 For the redemption of their life is costly, no payment is ever enough,
Redemption is beyond price; no one could ever pay enough
9 that he should live on forever, that he should not see corruption.
that they could live forever and not face the grave.
10 For he sees that wise men die; likewise the fool and the senseless perish, and leave their wealth to others.
Everyone knows that the wise die, those who are foolish and stupid too, leaving what they have to the next generation.
11 Their tombs are their homes forever, and their dwelling places to all generations. They name their lands after themselves.
They think their homes will last forever, that where they live will continue for all generations.
12 But man, despite his riches, doesn't endure. He is like the animals that perish.
But human beings, for all their fame, don't understand. They die, just like the animals.
13 This is the destiny of those who are foolish, and of those who approve their sayings. (Selah)
This is the way of foolish people, yet those who come after them think they were clever! (Selah)
14 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)
Like sheep they are destined for the grave. Death will be their shepherd. Those who live right will rule over them in the morning. Their bodies will decay in the grave, far from their homes. (Sheol h7585)
15 But God will redeem my soul from the power of Sheol, for he will receive me. (Selah) (Sheol h7585)
But surely God will rescue me from the power of the grave; he will grab me back. (Selah) (Sheol h7585)
16 Do not be afraid when a man is made rich, when the glory of his house is increased.
Don't be disturbed when people become rich, filling their houses with possessions.
17 For when he dies he shall carry nothing away. His glory shall not descend after him.
For they won't take anything with them when they die; their wealth will not go down into the grave with them.
18 Though while he lived he blessed his soul—and men praise you when you do well for yourself?
They congratulate themselves for all they possess—people always praise you when you do well—
19 he shall go to the generation of his fathers. They shall never see the light.
but their destiny is the same as their forefathers: they will never again see the light of day.
20 A man who has riches without understanding, is like the animals that perish.
Human beings, for all their fame, don't understand, and they die, just like the animals.
