Psalms 49
1 To the Chief Musician. For the Sons of Korah. A Melody. Hear ye, this all ye peoples, Give ear, all ye inhabitants of this passing world;
You people of all ethnic groups, listen! You people all over the world,
2 Both sons of the low, And sons of the high, —Together both rich and needy: —
important people and unimportant people, rich people and poor people, everyone, [listen to what I am saying],
3 My mouth, shall speak forth Wisdom, And the soft utterance of my heart be Understanding:
[because] what I am thinking is very sensible, and what I say will enable you to become wise!
4 I will bend, to a by-word, mine ear, I will open, on the lyre, mine enigma.
I think about [MTY] (proverbs/wise sayings), and while I play my harp, I explain what they mean.
5 Wherefore should I fear in the days of calamity, Though the iniquity of them who lie in wait for me should enclose me?
I am not [RHQ] afraid when I am in trouble/danger, when I am surrounded by my enemies,
6 As for them who are trusting in their wealth, —And, in the abundance of their riches, do boast themselves,
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, can none of them, redeem, he cannot give unto God a ransom for himself:
[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 So costly, is the redemption of their soul, That it faileth unto times age-abiding;
because that cost is too great, and he will never be able to pay enough
9 That he should, yet, live on, continually, Should not see corruption.
with the result that he will live forever and never [die and] be buried!
10 For it is seen that, the wise, die, Together with the dullard, and the brutish, do they perish, And leave, to others, their wealth:
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, inward thought, is that their houses are for times age-abiding, Their habitations, for generation after generation, —They give their own names unto 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 But, a son of earth, though wealthy, cannot tarry, He hath made himself a by-word—Beasts, they resemble:
Even if people are great, that cannot prevent them from dying; all people die, the same as animals do.
13 This, their way, is a folly to them, And yet, their followers, with their mouth, approve. (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 Like sheep—into hades, are they driven, Death shall shepherd them, —And the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning, Even their form, is to decay, Hades, is all that remaineth of a habitation 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)
15 But, God, will redeem my soul, out of the hand of hades, For he will take me. (Selah) (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 a man becometh rich, When the glory of his house increaseth;
[So], do not be dismayed when someone becomes rich and the houses where they live become more and more luxurious,
17 For, when he dieth, he shall take, nothing, his glory shall not descend after him;
because when he dies, he will take nothing with him; his wealth will not go with him.
18 For, though, his own self—while he lived, he used to bless, And they will praise thee, when thou doest well to thyself,
While [a rich person] is alive, he congratulates himself, and people praise him for being successful,
19 He shall enter as far as the circle of his fathers, Nevermore, shall they see the light.
but he will [die], joining his ancestors, who will never see daylight again.
20 A son of earth though wealthy, who discerneth not, Hath made himself a by-word, Beasts, they resemble.
Even if someone is great, that cannot prevent him from dying; he will die, the same as animals do.
