Psalm 49
Reading edition
For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by the sons of Korah.
49:1 Hear this, all you peoples.
Listen, all you inhabitants of the world,
49:2 both low and high,
rich and poor together.
49:3 My mouth will speak words of wisdom.
My heart shall utter understanding.
49:4 I will incline my ear to a proverb.
I will open my riddle on the harp.
49:5 Why should I fear in the days of evil,
when iniquity at my heels surrounds me?
49:6 Those who trust in their wealth,
and boast in the multitude of their riches--
49:7 none of them can by any means redeem his brother,
nor give God a ransom for him.
49:8 For the redemption of their life is costly,
no payment is ever enough,
49:9 That he should live on forever,
that he should not see corruption.
49:10 For he sees that wise men die;
likewise the fool and the senseless perish,
and leave their wealth to others.
49:11 Their inward thought is that their houses will endure forever,
and their dwelling places to all generations.
They name their lands after themselves.
49:12 But man, despite his riches, doesn't endure.
He is like the animals that perish.
49:13 This is the destiny of those who are foolish,
and of those who approve their sayings.
Selah.
49:14 They are appointed as a flock for Sheol.
Death shall be their shepherd.
The upright shall have dominion over them in the morning.
Their beauty shall decay in Sheol,
far from their mansion.
49:15 But God will redeem my soul from the power of Sheol,
for he will receive me.
Selah.
49:16 Don't be afraid when a man is made rich,
when the glory of his house is increased.
49:17 For when he dies he shall carry nothing away.
His glory shall not descend after him.
49:18 Though while he lived he blessed his soul--
and men praise you when you do well for yourself--
49:19 he shall go to the generation of his fathers.
They shall never see the light.
49:20 A man who has riches without understanding,
is like the animals that perish.