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,
For the leader. Of the Korahites. A psalm. Hear this, you peoples all; attend, all you who live in the world
2 both low and high, rich and poor together.
people of low degree and high, the rich and the poor together.
3 My mouth will speak wisdom and the meditation of my heart will be of understanding.
My mouth shall utter wisdom, the thoughts of a seeing heart.
4 I will incline my ear to a parable; I will begin my parable with the harp.
I incline my ear to a proverb, on the lyre I will open my riddle.
5 Why should I fear the days of evil, when iniquity surrounds me at my heels?
Why should I be afraid in the days of misfortune, when circled by wicked and cunning foes,
6 Why should I fear those who trust in their wealth and boast about the amount of their riches?
who put their trust in their wealth, and boast of their boundless riches?
7 It is certain that no one can redeem his brother or give God a ransom for him,
For assuredly no one can ransom themselves, or give to God the price of their life,
8 For the redemption of one's life is costly, and no one can pay what we owe.
for the ransom of a life is costly, no payment is ever enough,
9 No one can live forever so that his body should not decay.
to keep them alive for ever and ever, so as never to see the pit at all.
10 For he will see decay. Wise men die; the fool and the brute alike perish and leave their wealth to others.
But see it they will. Even wise people die, the fool and the brutish perish alike, and abandon their wealth to others.
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.
The grave is their everlasting home, the place they shall live in for ever and ever, though after their own names they called whole lands.
12 But man, having wealth, does not remain alive; he is like the beasts that perish.
Despite their wealth, they perish like dumb animals.
13 This, their way, is their folly; yet after them, men approve of their sayings. (Selah)
This is the fate of the confident fool, and the end of those who are pleased with their portion. (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 sheep they descend to Sheol with Death for their shepherd; down they go straight to the grave, and their form wastes away in their home below. (Sheol h7585)
But God will assuredly ransom my life from the hand of Sheol; for he will receive me. (Selah) (Sheol h7585)
16 Do not be afraid when one becomes rich, and the glory of his house increases.
So be not afraid when someone grows rich, when the wealth of their house increases.
17 For when he dies he will take nothing away; his glory will not go down after him.
Not a shred of it all can they take when they die, wealth cannot follow them down.
18 He blessed his soul while he lived— and men praise you when you live for yourself—
Though they count themselves happy, when they are alive, and win praise from many for faring so well,
19 he will go to the generation of his fathers and they will never see the light again.
they must join their ancestors, who see the light nevermore.
20 One who has wealth but no understanding is like the beasts, which perish.
The wealthy are without understanding, they perish like dumb animals.
