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,
Alamoth. To the chief music-maker. Of the sons of Korah. A Psalm. Give attention to this, all you peoples; let your ears be open, all you who are living in the world.
2 both low and high, rich and poor together.
High and low together, the poor, and those who have wealth.
3 My mouth will speak wisdom and the meditation of my heart will be of understanding.
From my mouth will come words of wisdom; and in the thoughts of my heart will be knowledge.
4 I will incline my ear to a parable; I will begin my parable with the harp.
I will put my teaching into a story; I will make my dark sayings clear with music.
5 Why should I fear the days of evil, when iniquity surrounds me at my heels?
What cause have I for fear in the days of evil, when the evil-doing of those who are working for my downfall is round about me?
6 Why should I fear those who trust in their wealth and boast about the amount of their riches?
Even of those whose faith is in their wealth, and whose hearts are lifted up because of their stores.
7 It is certain that no one can redeem his brother or give God a ransom for him,
Truly, no man may get back his soul for a price, or give to God the payment for himself;
8 For the redemption of one's life is costly, and no one can pay what we owe.
(Because it takes a great price to keep his soul from death, and man is not able to give it.)
9 No one can live forever so that his body should not decay.
So that he might have eternal life, and never see the underworld.
10 For he will see decay. Wise men die; the fool and the brute alike perish and leave their wealth to others.
For he sees that wise men come to their end, and foolish persons of low behaviour come to destruction together, letting their wealth go 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 place of the dead is their house for ever, and their resting-place through all generations; those who come after them give their names to their lands.
12 But man, having wealth, does not remain alive; he is like the beasts that perish.
But man, like the animals, does not go on for ever; he comes to an end like the beasts.
13 This, their way, is their folly; yet after them, men approve of their sayings. (Selah)
This is the way of the foolish; their silver is for those who come after them, and their children get the pleasure of their gold. (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)
Death will give them their food like sheep; the underworld is their fate and they will go down into it; their flesh is food for worms; their form is wasted away; the underworld is their resting-place for ever. (Sheol h7585)
But God will get back my soul; for he will take me from the power of death. (Selah) (Sheol h7585)
16 Do not be afraid when one becomes rich, and the glory of his house increases.
Have no fear when wealth comes to a man, and the glory of his house is increased;
17 For when he dies he will take nothing away; his glory will not go down after him.
For at his death, he will take nothing away; his glory will not go down after him.
18 He blessed his soul while he lived— and men praise you when you live for yourself—
Though he might have pride in his soul in his life-time, and men will give you praise if you do well for yourself,
19 he will go to the generation of his fathers and they will never see the light again.
He will go to the generation of his fathers; he will not see the light again.
20 One who has wealth but no understanding is like the beasts, which perish.
Man, like the animals, does not go on for ever; he comes to an end like the beasts.
