Psalm, 49

To the director. Of the sons of Korʹah. A melody.

¹ Hear this, all you peoples. Pay attention, all you inhabitants of the world,^*1

² Both small and great,^*1 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^*1 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 brother Or give to God a ransom for him,

⁸ (The ransom^*1 price for their life^*2 is so precious That it is always beyond their reach);

⁹ That he should live forever and not see the pit.^*1

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.^*1 Death will shepherd them; The upright will rule over them in the morning. Every trace of them will fade away; The Grave^*2 rather than a palace will be their home.

¹⁵ But God will redeem me^*1 from the power^*2 of the Grave,^*3 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.^*1 (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.