Psalms 49
1 To the Overseer. — By sons of Korah. A Psalm. Hear this, all ye peoples, Give ear, all ye inhabitants of the world.
For the choirmaster. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. Hear this, all you peoples; listen, all inhabitants of the world,
2 Both low and high, together rich and needy.
both low and high, rich and poor alike.
3 My mouth speaketh wise things, And the meditations of my heart [are] things of understanding.
My mouth will impart wisdom, and the meditation of my heart will bring understanding.
4 I incline to a simile mine ear, I open with a harp my riddle:
I will incline my ear to a proverb; I will express my riddle with the harp:
5 Why do I fear in days of evil? The iniquity of my supplanters doth compass me.
Why should I fear in times of trouble, when wicked usurpers surround me?
6 Those trusting on their wealth, And in the multitude of their riches, Do shew themselves foolish.
They trust in their wealth and boast in their great riches.
7 A brother doth no one at all ransom, He doth not give to God his atonement.
No man can possibly redeem his brother or pay his ransom to God.
8 And precious [is] the redemption of their soul, And it hath ceased — to the age.
For the redemption of his soul is costly, and never can payment suffice,
9 And still he liveth for ever, He seeth not the pit.
that he should live on forever and not see decay.
10 For he seeth wise men die, Together the foolish and brutish perish, And have left to others their wealth.
For it is clear that wise men die, and the foolish and the senseless both perish and leave their wealth to others.
11 Their heart [is]: Their houses [are] to the age, Their tabernacles to all generations. They proclaimed their names over the lands.
Their graves are their eternal homes— their dwellings for endless generations— even though their lands were their namesakes.
12 And man in honour doth not remain, He hath been like the beasts, they have been cut off.
But a man, despite his wealth, cannot endure; he is like the beasts that perish.
13 This their way [is] folly for them, And their posterity with their sayings are pleased. (Selah)
This is the fate of the self-confident and their followers who endorse their sayings.
14 As sheep for Sheol they have set themselves, Death doth afflict them, And the upright rule over them in the morning, And their form [is] for consumption. Sheol [is] a dwelling for him. (Sheol h7585)
Like sheep they are destined for Sheol. Death will be their shepherd. The upright will rule them in the morning, and their form will decay in Sheol, far from their lofty abode. (Sheol h7585)
15 Only, God doth ransom my soul from the hand of Sheol, For He doth receive me. (Selah) (Sheol h7585)
But God will redeem my life from Sheol, for He will surely take me to Himself. (Sheol h7585)
16 Fear not, when one maketh wealth, When the honour of his house is abundant,
Do not be amazed when a man grows rich, when the splendor of his house increases.
17 For at his death he receiveth nothing, His honour goeth not down after him.
For when he dies, he will carry nothing away; his abundance will not follow him down.
18 For his soul in his life he blesseth, (And they praise thee when thou dost well for thyself.)
Though in his lifetime he blesses his soul— and men praise you when you prosper—
19 It cometh to the generation of his fathers, For ever they see not the light.
he will join the generation of his fathers, who will never see the light of day.
20 Man in honour, who understandest not, Hath been like the beasts, they have been cut off!
A man who has riches without understanding is like the beasts that perish.
