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, / *In Hebrew texts 49:1-20 is numbered 49:2-21.
49:2 both low and high, rich and poor alike:
49:3 My mouth will speak words of wisdom; the meditation of my heart will give you 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 one can redeem the life of another or give to God a ransom for them -
49:8 the ransom for a life is costly, no payment is ever enough -
49:9 so that they should live on forever and not see decay.
49:10 For all can see that the wise die, that the foolish and the senseless also perish, leaving 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. / *Septuagint and Syriac; Hebrew In their thoughts their houses will remain / **Or generations, for they have
49:12 People, despite their wealth, do not endure; they are 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.* / *The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 15.
49:14 They are like sheep and are destined to die; death will be their shepherd (but the upright will prevail over them in the morning). Their forms will decay in the grave, far from their princely mansions.
49:15 But God will redeem me from the realm of the dead; he will surely take me to himself.
49:16 Do not be overawed when others grow rich, when the splendor of their houses increases;
49:17 for they will take nothing with them when they die, their splendor will not descend with them.
49:18 Though while they live they count themselves blessed - and people praise you when you prosper -
49:19 they will join those who have gone before them, who will never again see the light of life.
49:20 People who have wealth but lack understanding are like the beasts that perish.