Psalm 49:1–12

1 Hearr this, all you peoples;s

listen, all who live in this world,t

2 both low and high,u

rich and poor alike:

3 My mouth will speak words of wisdom;v

the meditation of my heart will give you understanding.w

4 I will turn my ear to a proverb;x

with the harpy I will expound my riddle:z

5 Why should I feara when evil days come,

when wicked deceivers surround me—

6 those who trust in their wealthb

and boastc of their great riches?d

7 No one can redeem the life of another

or give to God a ransom for them—

8 the ransome for a life is costly,

no payment is ever enough—f

9 so that they should live ong forever

and not see decay.h

10 For all can see that the wise die,i

that the foolish and the senselessj also perish,

leaving their wealthk to others.l

11 Their tombsm will remain their housesb forever,

their dwellings for endless generations,n

though they hadc namedo lands after themselves.

12 People, despite their wealth, do not endure;p

they are like the beasts that perish.q