Psalms 49
1 For the chief musician. A psalm of the sons of Korah. Hear this, all you peoples; give ear, all you inhabitants of the world,
“To the chief musician, by the sons of Korach, a psalm.” Hear this, all ye people; give ear, all ye inhabitants of the perishable world:
2 both low and high, rich and poor together.
Both the sons of the low and the sons of the high, rich and needy, altogether.
3 My mouth will speak wisdom and the meditation of my heart will be of understanding.
My mouth shall speak wisdom; and the meditation of my heart shall be of understanding.
4 I will incline my ear to a parable; I will begin my parable with the harp.
I will incline my ear to a parable: I will open with the harp my riddle.
5 Why should I fear the days of evil, when iniquity surrounds me at my heels?
Wherefore should I fear in the days of evil, when the iniquity of my oppressors encompasseth me?—
6 Why should I fear those who trust in their wealth and boast about the amount of their riches?
Of those that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves of the multitude of their riches?
7 It is certain that no one can redeem his brother or give God a ransom for him,
No one can in any wise redeem his brother, nor can he give to God redemption money for himself;
8 For the redemption of one's life is costly, and no one can pay what we owe.
For the ransom of their soul is too costly, and it is omitted for ever.
9 No one can live forever so that his body should not decay.
And should he still live for ever? not see the pit?
10 For he will see decay. Wise men die; the fool and the brute alike perish and leave their wealth to others.
For he must see that wise men die, that together the fool and the brutish person perish and leave to others their wealth.
11 Their inner thought is that their families will continue forever, and the places where they live, to all generations; they call their lands after their own names.
Their inward thought is, that their houses are to be for ever, their dwelling-places, from generation to generation; they call them by their own names in [various] countries.
12 But man, having wealth, does not remain alive; he is like the beasts that perish.
Nevertheless man in [his] splendor endureth not: he is like the beasts [that] perish.
13 This, their way, is their folly; yet after them, men approve of their sayings. (Selah)
This is their way, their folly: yet their posterity will take pleasure in their sayings. (Selah)
14 Like sheep they are appointed for Sheol, and death will be their shepherd. The upright will rule over them in the morning, and their bodies will be consumed in Sheol, with no place for them to live. (Sheol h7585)
Like flocks are they thrust into the nether world; death will feed them; but the upright shall have dominion over them in that morning, and their form wasteth away in the nether world, [taken away] from their own dwelling. (Sheol h7585)
But God will redeem my soul from the power of the nether world; for he will take me away. (Selah) (Sheol h7585)
16 Do not be afraid when one becomes rich, and the glory of his house increases.
Be not thou afraid when a man becometh rich, when the glory of his house is increased;
17 For when he dies he will take nothing away; his glory will not go down after him.
For when he dieth he can take nothing away; his glory will not descend after him.
18 He blessed his soul while he lived— and men praise you when you live for yourself—
For though he bless his soul during his life, and men praise thee, when thou doest well to thyself:
19 he will go to the generation of his fathers and they will never see the light again.
She shall go to the generation of his fathers, unto eternity will these never see light.
20 One who has wealth but no understanding is like the beasts, which perish.
Man, though in splendor, who understandeth not, is like the beasts that perish. °
