Psalms 49
Berean Standard BibleTranslation
Berean Standard Bible
JPS Tanakh (Jewish Publication Society, 1917)
1Hear this, all you peoples; listen, all inhabitants of the world,
1(49-1) For the Leader; a Psalm of the sons of Korah. (49-2) Hear this, all ye peoples; give ear, all ye inhabitants of the world,
2both low and high, rich and poor alike.
2(49-3) Both low and high, rich and poor together.
3My mouth will impart wisdom, and the meditation of my heart will bring understanding.
3(49-4) My mouth shall speak wisdom, and the meditation of my heart shall be understanding.
4I will incline my ear to a proverb; I will express my riddle with the harp:
4(49-5) I will incline mine ear to a parable; I will open my dark saying upon the harp.
5Why should I fear in times of trouble, when wicked usurpers surround me?
5(49-6) Wherefore should I fear in the days of evil, when the iniquity of my supplanters compasseth me about,
6They trust in their wealth and boast in their great riches.
6(49-7) Of them that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches?
7No man can possibly redeem his brother or pay his ransom to God.
7(49-8) No man can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him —
8For the redemption of his soul is costly, and never can payment suffice,
8(49-9) For too costly is the redemption of their soul, and must be let alone for ever —
9that he should live on forever and not see decay.
9(49-10) That he should still live alway, that he should not see the pit.
10For it is clear that wise men die, and the foolish and the senseless both perish and leave their wealth to others.
10(49-11) For he seeth that wise men die, the fool and the brutish together perish, and leave their wealth to others.
11Their graves are their eternal homes— their dwellings for endless generations— even though their lands were their namesakes.
11(49-12) Their inward thought is, that their houses shall continue for ever, and their dwelling-places to all generations; they call their lands after their own names.
12But a man, despite his wealth, cannot endure; he is like the beasts that perish.
12(49-13) But man abideth not in honour; he is like the beasts that perish.
13This is the fate of the self-confident and their followers who endorse their sayings. Selah
13(49-14) This is the way of them that are foolish, and of those who after them approve their sayings. Selah
14Like sheep they are destined for Sheol. Death will be their shepherd. The upright will rule them in the morning, and their form will decay in Sheol, far from their lofty abode.
14(49-15) Like sheep they are appointed for the nether-world; death shall be their shepherd; and the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning; and their form shall be for the nether-world to wear away, that there be no habitation for it.
15But God will redeem my life from Sheol, for He will surely take me to Himself. Selah
15(49-16) But God will redeem my soul from the power of the nether-world; for He shall receive me. Selah
16Do not be amazed when a man grows rich, when the splendor of his house increases.
16(49-17) Be not thou afraid when one waxeth rich, when the wealth of his house is increased;
17For when he dies, he will carry nothing away; his abundance will not follow him down.
17(49-18) For when he dieth he shall carry nothing away; his wealth shall not descend after him.
18Though in his lifetime he blesses his soul— and men praise you when you prosper—
18(49-19) Though while he lived he blessed his soul: 'Men will praise thee, when thou shalt do well to thyself';
19he will join the generation of his fathers, who will never see the light of day.
19(49-20) It shall go to the generation of his fathers; they shall never see the light.
20A man who has riches without understanding is like the beasts that perish.
20(49-21) Man that is in honour understandeth not; he is like the beasts that perish.
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