49:1 For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm. Hear this, all you peoples; listen, all who live in this world,
49:2 both low and high, rich and poor alike:
49:3 My mouth will speak words of wisdom; the utterance from my heart will give understanding.
49:4 I will turn my ear to a proverb; with the harp I will expound my riddle:
49:5 Why should I fear when evil days come, when wicked deceivers surround me–
49:6 those who trust in their wealth and boast of their great riches?
49:7 No man can redeem the life of another or give to God a ransom for him–
49:8 the ransom for a life is costly, no payment is ever enough–
49:9 that he should live on forever and not see decay.
49:10 For all can see that wise men die; the foolish and the senseless alike perish and leave their wealth to others.
49:11 Their tombs will remain their houses forever, their dwellings for endless generations, though they had named lands after themselves.
49:12 But man, despite his riches, does not endure; he is like the beasts that perish.
49:13 This is the fate of those who trust in themselves, and of their followers, who approve their sayings. Selah
49:14 Like sheep they are destined for the grave, and death will feed on them. The upright will rule over them in the morning; their forms will decay in the grave, far from their princely mansions.
49:15 But God will redeem my life from the grave; he will surely take me to himself. Selah
49:16 Do not be overawed when a man grows rich, when the splendor of his house increases;
49:17 for he will take nothing with him when he dies, his splendor will not descend with him.
49:18 Though while he lived he counted himself blessed–and men praise you when you prosper–
49:19 he will join the generation of his fathers, who will never see the light of life.
49:20 A man who has riches without understanding is like the beasts that perish.
49:1 Hear this, all you peoples; / Give ear, all you inhabitants of the world,
49:2 Both low and high, / Rich and poor together;
49:3 My mouth will speak wisdom, / And the meditation of my heart will be that of understanding.
49:4 I will incline my ear to a parable; / I will disclose my riddle upon the harp.
49:5 Why should I fear in the days of evil, / When the iniquity of those who supplant me surrounds me,
49:6 Those who trust in their wealth / And boast in the multitude of their riches?
49:7 None can by any means redeem his brother / Or give to God a ransom for him
49:8 (For the redemption of their soul is costly / And must be given up forever),
49:9 That he would yet live always / And not see corruption.
49:10 For he will see that wise men die; / The foolish one and the senseless one perish alike / And leave their wealth to others.
49:11 Their inward thought is that their houses will remain forever, / That their habitations will remain from generation to generation; / They call lands after their own names.
49:12 But man in honor does not remain; / He is like the beasts that perish.
49:13 Such is the way of those who are self-confident, / And of those after them who approve of their sayings. Selah
49:14 Like a flock, they are appointed for Sheol; / Death will shepherd them. / And straight to the grave they will descend, / And their form will be for Sheol to consume / That there be no abode for them.
49:15 But God will redeem my soul / From the power of Sheol, / For He will receive me. Selah
49:16 Do not fear when a man becomes rich, / When the glory of his house increases.
49:17 For when he dies, he will take nothing; / His glory will not descend after him.
49:18 Though he blessed his soul while he lived ? / And men praise you when you do good for yourself ?
49:19 It will go to the generation of his fathers; / They will never see light.
49:20 A man in honor but without understanding / Is like the beasts that perish.