Psalms 49
1 “For the leader of the music. A psalm of the sons of Korah.” Hear this, all ye nations; Give ear, all ye inhabitants of the world;
TO THE OVERSEER. A PSALM OF THE SONS OF KORAH. Hear this, all you peoples, Give ear, all you inhabitants of the world.
2 Both high and low, rich and poor alike!
Both low and high, together rich and needy.
3 My mouth shall speak wisdom, And the meditation of my mind shall be understanding.
My mouth speaks wise things, And the meditations of my heart [are] things of understanding.
4 I will incline mine ear to a poem; I will utter my song upon the harp.
I incline my ear to an allegory, I open my riddle with a harp:
5 Why should I fear in the days of adversity, When the iniquity of my adversaries encompasseth me;
Why do I fear in days of evil? The iniquity of my supplanters surrounds me.
6 They who trust in their riches, And glory in the greatness of their wealth?
Those trusting on their wealth, And in the multitude of their riches, Show themselves foolish.
7 No one can redeem his brother from death, Nor give a ransom for him to God,
A brother ransoms no one at all, He does not give to God his atonement.
8 That he should live to eternity, And not see the pit.
And precious [is] the redemption of their soul, And it has ceased for all time.
9 Too costly is the redemption of his life, And he giveth it up for ever.
And still he lives forever, He does not see the pit.
10 For he seeth that wise men die, As well as the foolish and the ignorant; They perish alike, And leave their wealth to others.
For he sees wise men die, Together the foolish and brutish perish, And have left their wealth to others.
11 They imagine that their houses will endure for ever, And their dwelling-places from generation to generation: Men celebrate their names on the earth.
Their heart [is that] their houses [are] for all time, Their dwelling places from generation to generation. They proclaimed their names over the lands.
12 Yet man, who is in honor, abideth not; He is like the beasts that perish.
And man does not remain in honor, He has been like the beasts, they have been cut off.
13 Such is the way which is their confidence! And they who come after them approve their maxims. (Pause)
This their way [is] folly for them, And their posterity are pleased with their sayings. (Selah)
14 Like sheep they are cast into the underworld; Death shall feed upon them; And the upright shall soon trample upon them. Their form shall be consumed in the underworld, And they shall no more have a dwelling-place. (Sheol h7585)
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)
15 But God will redeem my life from the underworld; Yea, he will take me under his care. (Pause) (Sheol h7585)
Only, God ransoms my soul from the hand of Sheol, For He receives me. (Selah) (Sheol h7585)
16 Be not thou afraid, when one becometh rich; When the glory of his house is increased!
Do not fear when one makes wealth, When the glory of his house is abundant,
17 For, when he dieth, he will carry nothing away; His glory will not descend after him.
For at his death he receives nothing, His glory does not go down after him.
18 Though in his life he thought himself happy, —Though men praised thee, while thou wast in prosperity, —
For he blesses his soul in his life (And they praise you when you do well for yourself).
19 Yet shalt thou go to the dwelling-place of thy fathers, Who never more shall see the light!
It comes to the generation of his fathers, They do not see the light forever.
20 The man who is in honor, but without understanding, Is like the beasts that perish.
Man in honor, who does not understand, Has been like the beasts, they have been cut off!
