Psalms 49
49
Psalm 49
For the choir director; a psalm by Korah’s descendants.
1Listen to this, all you people.
Open your ears, all who live in the world—
2common people and important ones,
rich people and poor ones.
3My mouth will speak wise sayings,
the insights I have carefully considered.
4I will turn my attention to a proverb.
I will explain my riddle with the ⌞music of⌟ a lyre.
5Why should I be afraid in times of trouble,
when slanderers surround me with evil?
6They trust their riches
and brag about their abundant wealth.
7No one can ever buy back another person
or pay God a ransom for his life.
8The price to be paid for his soul is too costly.
He must always give up
9in order to live forever and never see the pit.
10Indeed, one can see that wise people die,
that foolish and stupid people meet the same end.
They leave their riches to others.
11Although they named their lands after themselves,
their graves #49:11 Greek, Syriac, Targum; Masoretic Text “their insides.” have become their homes for ages to come,
their dwelling places throughout every generation.
12But mortals will not continue here with what they treasure.
They are like animals that die.
13This is the final outcome for fools and their followers
who are delighted by what they say: Selah
14Like sheep, they are driven to hell
with death as their shepherd.
(Decent people will rule them in the morning.)
Their forms will decay in the grave,
far away from their comfortable homes.
15But God will buy me back from the power of hell
because he will take me. Selah
16Do not be afraid when someone becomes rich,
when the greatness of his house increases.
17He will not take anything with him when he dies.
His greatness cannot follow him.
18Even though he blesses himself while he is alive
(and they praise you when you do well for yourself),
19he must join the generation of his ancestors,
who will never see light ⌞again⌟.
20Mortals, with what they treasure, still don’t have understanding.
They are like animals that die.
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Psalms 49
49
Wealth and the Fate of the Wicked
For the music director. Of the sons of Korah. A psalm.#The Hebrew Bible counts the superscription as the first verse of the psalm; the English verse number is reduced by one
1Hear this, all you peoples;
give ear, all you inhabitants of the world,
2both low and high,
rich and poor together.
3My mouth will speak wisdom,
and the meditation of my heart will be understanding.
4I will incline my ear to a proverb;
I will propound#Literally “open” my riddle on a lyre.
5Why should I fear in times of calamity,#Literally “the days of evil”
when iniquity surrounds me at my heels,
6those who trust their wealth
and boast about the abundance of their riches?
7Surely a man cannot redeem a brother.
He cannot give to God his ransom
8(since#Hebrew “and” the redemption price for their life is costly
and it always fails),
9so that he may stay alive forever
and not see the pit.
10For he sees that the wise die,
together with the fool and brute they perish,
and leave their wealth to the next generation.
11Within them they think their houses are forever,
their dwelling places from generation to generation.
They name#Literally “call” their lands by their own names.
12But man cannot continue in his pomp.
He is like the beasts that perish.
13This is the journey#Hebrew “way” of those who have foolish confidence,
and those after them who accept their sayings. Selah
14Like sheep they are destined to Sheol;
death will shepherd them.
But the upright will rule over them in the morning,
and their forms will be for Sheol to consume,
far from his lofty abode.
15Surely God will ransom my life
from the power#Literally “hand” of Sheol,
because he will receive me. Selah
16Do not fear when a man becomes rich,
when the wealth#Or “honor” of his house increases,
17because when he dies he will not take away any of it.
His wealth will not follow down after him.
18Though he congratulated his soul while he was living
—and people will praise you when you do well for yourself—
19it#That is, his soul will go to the generation of his fathers.
Never will they see light.
20Humankind in its pomp, but does not understand,
is like the beasts that perish.
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