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.
“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, together rich and needy.
Both the sons of the low and the sons of the high, rich and needy, altogether.
3 My mouth speaketh wise things, And the meditations of my heart [are] things of understanding.
My mouth shall speak wisdom; and the meditation of my heart shall be of understanding.
4 I incline to a simile mine ear, I open with a harp my riddle:
I will incline my ear to a parable: I will open with the harp my riddle.
5 Why do I fear in days of evil? The iniquity of my supplanters doth compass me.
Wherefore should I fear in the days of evil, when the iniquity of my oppressors encompasseth me?—
6 Those trusting on their wealth, And in the multitude of their riches, Do shew themselves foolish.
Of those that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves of the multitude of their riches?
7 A brother doth no one at all ransom, He doth not give to God his atonement.
No one can in any wise redeem his brother, nor can he give to God redemption money for himself;
8 And precious [is] the redemption of their soul, And it hath ceased — to the age.
For the ransom of their soul is too costly, and it is omitted for ever.
9 And still he liveth for ever, He seeth not the pit.
And should he still live for ever? not see the pit?
10 For he seeth wise men die, Together the foolish and brutish perish, And have left to others their wealth.
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 heart [is]: Their houses [are] to the age, Their tabernacles to all generations. They proclaimed their names over the lands.
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 And man in honour doth not remain, He hath been like the beasts, they have been cut off.
Nevertheless man in [his] splendor endureth not: 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 their way, their folly: yet their posterity will take pleasure in their sayings. (Selah)
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 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)
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 soul from the power of the nether world; for he will take me away. (Selah) (Sheol h7585)
16 Fear not, when one maketh wealth, When the honour of his house is abundant,
Be not thou afraid when a man becometh rich, when the glory of his house is increased;
17 For at his death he receiveth nothing, His honour goeth not down after him.
For when he dieth he can take nothing away; his glory will not descend after him.
18 For his soul in his life he blesseth, (And they praise thee when thou dost well for thyself.)
For though he bless his soul during his life, and men praise thee, when thou doest well to thyself:
19 It cometh to the generation of his fathers, For ever they see not the light.
She shall go to the generation of his fathers, unto eternity will these never see light.
20 Man in honour, who understandest not, Hath been like the beasts, they have been cut off!
Man, though in splendor, who understandeth not, is like the beasts that perish. °
