< Psalms 49 >
1 You people of all ethnic groups, listen! You people all over the world,
2 important people and unimportant people, rich people and poor people, everyone, [listen to what I am saying],
3 [because] what I am thinking is very sensible, and what I say will enable you to become wise!
4 I think about [MTY] (proverbs/wise sayings), and while I play my harp, I explain what they mean.
5 I am not [RHQ] afraid when I am in trouble/danger, when I am surrounded by my enemies,
6 by evil men who trust that [things will always go well for them because] they are wealthy, and who boast about being very rich.
7 [They may be rich], but no one can pay money with the result that he would live forever! No one can pay God enough so that God will allow him [to continue] to live,
8 because that cost is too great, and he will never be able to pay enough
9 with the result that he will live forever and never [die and] be buried!
10 We see that foolish and stupid people die, but we see that wise people also die; they all leave their wealth, and others inherit it.
11 Those wise people once had [houses on] land that they owned, [but now] their graves are their homes forever, the place where they will stay for all time!
12 Even if people are great, that cannot prevent them from dying; all people die, the same as animals do.
13 That is what happens to those who foolishly trust [in what they have accomplished], to those who are delighted in [all] that they possess.
14 They are certain to die just like sheep, when a shepherd leads them away to be slaughtered. [PRS, MET] In the morning righteous people will rule over them, and then [those wealthy people will die and] their bodies will quickly decay in their graves; they will be where dead people are, far from their homes. (Sheol )
15 But it is certain that God will rescue me so that I am not kept in the place of the dead. (Sheol )
16 [So], do not be dismayed when someone becomes rich and the houses where they live become more and more luxurious,
17 because when he dies, he will take nothing with him; his wealth will not go with him.
18 While [a rich person] is alive, he congratulates himself, and people praise him for being successful,
19 but he will [die], joining his ancestors, who will never see daylight again.
20 Even if someone is great, that cannot prevent him from dying; he will die, the same as animals do.
