תְהִלִּים 49

1 לַמְנַצֵּ֬חַ ׀ לִבְנֵי־קֹ֬רַח מִזְמֹֽור׃ שִׁמְעוּ־זֹ֭את כָּל־הָֽעַמִּ֑ים הַ֝אֲזִ֗ינוּ כָּל־יֹ֥שְׁבֵי חָֽלֶד׃

For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by the sons of Korah. Hear this, all you peoples. Listen, all you inhabitants of the world,

2 גַּם־בְּנֵ֣י אָ֭דָם גַּם־בְּנֵי־אִ֑ישׁ יַ֝֗חַד עָשִׁ֥יר וְאֶבְיֹֽון׃

both low and high, rich and poor together.

3 פִּ֭י יְדַבֵּ֣ר חָכְמֹ֑ות וְהָג֖וּת לִבִּ֣י תְבוּנֹֽות׃

My mouth will speak words of wisdom. My heart will utter understanding.

4 אַטֶּ֣ה לְמָשָׁ֣ל אָזְנִ֑י אֶפְתַּ֥ח בְּ֝כִנֹּ֗ור חִידָתֽ͏ִי׃

I will incline my ear to a proverb. I will solve my riddle on the harp.

5 לָ֣מָּה אִ֭ירָא בִּ֣ימֵי רָ֑ע עֲוֹ֖ן עֲקֵבַ֣י יְסוּבֵּֽנִי׃

Why should I fear in the days of evil, when iniquity at my heels surrounds me?

6 הַבֹּטְחִ֥ים עַל־חֵילָ֑ם וּבְרֹ֥ב עָ֝שְׁרָ֗ם יִתְהַלָּֽלוּ׃

Those who trust in their wealth, and boast in the multitude of their riches—

7 אָ֗ח לֹא־פָדֹ֣ה יִפְדֶּ֣ה אִ֑ישׁ לֹא־יִתֵּ֖ן לֵאלֹהִ֣ים כָּפְרֹֽו׃

none of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give God a ransom for him.

8 וְ֭יֵקַר פִּדְיֹ֥ון נַפְשָׁ֗ם וְחָדַ֥ל לְעֹולָֽם׃

For the redemption of their life is costly, no payment is ever enough,

9 וִֽיחִי־עֹ֥וד לָנֶ֑צַח לֹ֖א יִרְאֶ֣ה הַשָּֽׁחַת׃

that he should live on forever, that he should not see corruption.

10 כִּ֤י יִרְאֶ֨ה ׀ חֲכָ֘מִ֤ים יָמ֗וּתוּ יַ֤חַד כְּסִ֣יל וָבַ֣עַר יֹאבֵ֑דוּ וְעָזְב֖וּ לַאֲחֵרִ֣ים חֵילָֽם׃

For he sees that wise men die; likewise the fool and the senseless perish, and leave their wealth to others.

11 קִרְבָּ֤ם בָּתֵּ֨ימֹו ׀ לְֽעֹולָ֗ם מִ֭שְׁכְּנֹתָם לְדֹ֣ר וָדֹ֑ר קָֽרְא֥וּ בִ֝שְׁמֹותָ֗ם עֲלֵ֣י אֲדָמֹֽות׃

Their inward thought is that their houses will endure forever, and their dwelling places to all generations. They name their lands after themselves.

12 וְאָדָ֣ם בִּ֭יקָר בַּל־יָלִ֑ין נִמְשַׁ֖ל כַּבְּהֵמֹ֣ות נִדְמֽוּ׃

But man, despite his riches, doesn’t endure. He is like the animals that perish.

13 זֶ֣ה דַ֭רְכָּם כֵּ֣סֶל לָ֑מֹו וְאַחֲרֵיהֶ֓ם ׀ בְּפִיהֶ֖ם יִרְצ֣וּ סֶֽלָה׃

This is the destiny of those who are foolish, and of those who approve their sayings. (Selah)

14 כַּצֹּ֤אן ׀ לִֽשְׁאֹ֣ול שַׁתּוּ֮ מָ֤וֶת יִ֫רְעֵ֥ם וַיִּרְדּ֘וּ בָ֤ם יְשָׁרִ֨ים ׀ לַבֹּ֗קֶר וְצִירָם (וְ֭צוּרָם) לְבַלֹּ֥ות שְׁאֹ֗ול מִזְּבֻ֥ל לֹֽו׃ (Sheol h7585)

They are appointed as a flock for Sheol. Death shall be their shepherd. The upright shall have dominion over them in the morning. Their beauty shall decay in Sheol, far from their mansion. (Sheol h7585)

15 אַךְ־אֱלֹהִ֗ים יִפְדֶּ֣ה נַ֭פְשִׁי מִֽיַּד־שְׁאֹ֑ול כִּ֖י יִקָּחֵ֣נִי סֶֽלָה׃ (Sheol h7585)

But God will redeem my soul from the power of Sheol, for he will receive me. (Selah) (Sheol h7585)

16 אַל־תִּ֭ירָא כִּֽי־יַעֲשִׁ֣ר אִ֑ישׁ כִּֽי־יִ֝רְבֶּה כְּבֹ֣וד בֵּיתֹֽו׃

Don’t be afraid when a man is made rich, when the glory of his house is increased;

17 כִּ֤י לֹ֣א בְ֭מֹותֹו יִקַּ֣ח הַכֹּ֑ל לֹא־יֵרֵ֖ד אַחֲרָ֣יו כְּבֹודֹֽו׃

for when he dies he will carry nothing away. His glory won’t descend after him.

18 כִּֽי־נַ֭פְשֹׁו בְּחַיָּ֣יו יְבָרֵ֑ךְ וְ֝יֹודֻ֗ךָ כִּי־תֵיטִ֥יב לָֽךְ׃

Though while he lived he blessed his soul— and men praise you when you do well for yourself—

19 תָּ֭בֹוא עַד־דֹּ֣ור אֲבֹותָ֑יו עַד־נֵ֝֗צַח לֹ֣א יִרְאוּ־אֹֽור׃

he shall go to the generation of his fathers. They shall never see the light.

20 אָדָ֣ם בִּ֭יקָר וְלֹ֣א יָבִ֑ין נִמְשַׁ֖ל כַּבְּהֵמֹ֣ות נִדְמֽוּ׃

A man who has riches without understanding, is like the animals that perish.