Psalm 49a

For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm.

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

13 This is the fate of those who trust in themselves,r

and of their followers, who approve their sayings.d

14 They are like sheep and are destineds to die;t

death will be their shepherd

(but the upright will prevailu over them in the morning).

Their forms will decay in the grave,

far from their princely mansions.

15 But God will redeem me from the realm of the dead;v

he will surely take me to himself.w

16 Do not be overawed when others grow rich,

when the splendor of their houses increases;

17 for they will take nothingx with them when they die,

their splendor will not descend with them.y

18 Though while they live they count themselves blessed—z

and people praise you when you prosper—

19 they will join those who have gone before them,a

who will never again see the lightb of life.

20 People who have wealth but lack understandingc

are like the beasts that perish.d