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,
49:2 both low and high, rich and poor alike:
49:3 My mouth will speak words of wisdom; the utterance from my heart will give 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 man can redeem the life of another or give to God a ransom for him–
49:8 the ransom for a life is costly, no payment is ever enough–
49:9 that he should live on forever and not see decay.
49:10 For all can see that wise men die; the foolish and the senseless alike perish and leave 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.
49:12 But man, despite his riches, does not endure; he is 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. Selah
49:14 Like sheep they are destined for the grave, and death will feed on them. The upright will rule over them in the morning; their forms will decay in the grave, far from their princely mansions.
49:15 But God will redeem my life from the grave; he will surely take me to himself. Selah
49:16 Do not be overawed when a man grows rich, when the splendor of his house increases;
49:17 for he will take nothing with him when he dies, his splendor will not descend with him.
49:18 Though while he lived he counted himself blessed–and men praise you when you prosper–
49:19 he will join the generation of his fathers, who will never see the light of life.
49:20 A man who has riches without understanding is like the beasts that perish.