Psalms 49
1 You people of all ethnic groups, listen! You people all over the world,
| למנצח לבני קרח מזמור שמעו זאת כל העמים האזינו כל ישבי חלד׃ |
2 important people and unimportant people, rich people and poor people, everyone, [listen to what I am saying],
| גם בני אדם גם בני איש יחד עשיר ואביון׃ |
3 [because] what I am thinking is very sensible, and what I say will enable you to become wise!
| פי ידבר חכמות והגות לבי תבונות׃ |
4 I think about [MTY] (proverbs/wise sayings), and while I play my harp, I explain what they mean.
| אטה למשל אזני אפתח בכנור חידתי׃ |
5 I am not [RHQ] afraid when I am in trouble/danger, when I am surrounded by my enemies,
| למה אירא בימי רע עון עקבי יסובני׃ |
6 by evil men who trust that [things will always go well for them because] they are wealthy, and who boast about being very rich.
| הבטחים על חילם וברב עשרם יתהללו׃ |
7 [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,
| אח לא פדה יפדה איש לא יתן לאלהים כפרו׃ |
8 because that cost is too great, and he will never be able to pay enough
| ויקר פדיון נפשם וחדל לעולם׃ |
9 with the result that he will live forever and never [die and] be buried!
| ויחי עוד לנצח לא יראה השחת׃ |
10 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.
| כי יראה חכמים ימותו יחד כסיל ובער יאבדו ועזבו לאחרים חילם׃ |
11 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!
| קרבם בתימו לעולם משכנתם לדר ודר קראו בשמותם עלי אדמות׃ |
12 Even if people are great, that cannot prevent them from dying; all people die, the same as animals do.
| ואדם ביקר בל ילין נמשל כבהמות נדמו׃ |
13 That is what happens to those who foolishly trust [in what they have accomplished], to those who are delighted in [all] that they possess.
| זה דרכם כסל למו ואחריהם בפיהם ירצו סלה׃ |
14 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)
| כצאן לשאול שתו מות ירעם וירדו בם ישרים לבקר וצירם לבלות שאול מזבל לו׃ (Sheol h7585) |
15 But it is certain that God will rescue me so that I am not kept in the place of the dead. (Sheol h7585)
| אך אלהים יפדה נפשי מיד שאול כי יקחני סלה׃ (Sheol h7585) |
16 [So], do not be dismayed when someone becomes rich and the houses where they live become more and more luxurious,
| אל תירא כי יעשר איש כי ירבה כבוד ביתו׃ |
17 because when he dies, he will take nothing with him; his wealth will not go with him.
| כי לא במותו יקח הכל לא ירד אחריו כבודו׃ |
18 While [a rich person] is alive, he congratulates himself, and people praise him for being successful,
| כי נפשו בחייו יברך ויודך כי תיטיב לך׃ |
19 but he will [die], joining his ancestors, who will never see daylight again.
| תבוא עד דור אבותיו עד נצח לא יראו אור׃ |
20 Even if someone is great, that cannot prevent him from dying; he will die, the same as animals do.
| אדם ביקר ולא יבין נמשל כבהמות נדמו׃ |
