Psalm 49:1-20
To the director. Of the sons of Korʹah.+ A melody.
49 Hear this, all you peoples.
Pay attention, all you inhabitants of the world,*
2 Both small and great,*Rich and poor alike.
3 My own mouth will speak wisdom,And the meditation of my heart+ will show understanding.
4 I will pay attention to a proverb;I will expound my riddle with the harp.
5 Why should I fear during times of trouble,+When I am surrounded by the evil* of those trying to overthrow me?
6 Those who are trusting in their wealth+And who boast about their great riches,+
7 None of them can ever redeem a brotherOr give to God a ransom for him,+
8 (The ransom* price for their life* is so preciousThat it is always beyond their reach);
9 That he should live forever and not see the pit.*+
10 He sees that even wise people die;The stupid and the unreasoning perish together,+And they must leave their wealth to others.+
11 Their inner wish is that their houses will last forever,Their tents to generation after generation.
They have named their estates after themselves.
12 But man, although honored, will not remain;+He is no better than the beasts that perish.+
13 This is the way of the stupid ones+And of those who follow them, who take pleasure in their empty words. (Selah)
14 They are assigned like sheep to the Grave.*
Death will shepherd them;The upright will rule over them+ in the morning.
Every trace of them will fade away;+The Grave*+ rather than a palace will be their home.+
15 But God will redeem me* from the power* of the Grave,*+For he will take hold of me. (Selah)
16 Do not be afraid because a man becomes rich,Because the splendor of his house increases,
17 For when he dies he can take nothing with him;+His splendor will not go down with him.+
18 For during his lifetime he congratulates himself.*+
(People praise you when you prosper.)+
19 But he finally joins the generation of his forefathers.
They will never again see the light.
20 A man who does not understand this, although honored,+Is no better than the beasts that perish.
Footnotes
^ Or “system of things.”
^ Lit., “both sons of humankind as well as sons of man.”
^ Lit., “error.”
^ Or “redemption.”
^ Or “soul.”
^ Or “grave.”
^ Or “my soul.”
^ Lit., “hand.”
^ Or “his soul.”
