Psalms 49
1HEAR these things, all ye nations; listen attentively, all ye inhabitants of the world!
2both ye of lowest rank, and heads of families; both rich and poor together.
3My mouth shall speak wisdom; and the meditation of my heart understanding.
4I will incline mine ear to a parable: with a psaltery I will unfold my problem.
5Why am I terrified in an evil day? The iniquity at my heel will surround me.
6Some put confidence in their power: and some boast of the abundance of their wealth.
7A brother is not redeemed. Is a man to redeem himself?
8He cannot give to God an atonement for himself; and the price for the redemption of his life:
9Though he laboured for the age that he may live to the end. Shall he therefore not see corruption?
10When he seeth the wise dying; together the foolish and senseless shall perish. And they shall leave their wealth to others.
11But their graves shall be their houses forever—their dwelling places to all generations. On these parcels of earth, they have put their names.
12When a man, who is in honour, hath not understanding: he hath been compared to the brute beasts and is like them—
13this very way of theirs was to them a stumbling block; and after this shall it with their mouth be praised?
14They are pent-up like sheep in the mansion of the dead: death shall feed them and the early watches will rule over them: and that help of theirs from their glory, shall in the mansion of the dead become obsolete.
15But God will redeem my soul from the power of that mansion when it receiveth me.
16Fear not when a man groweth rich, nor when the glory of his house is increased.
17For when he dieth he can carry nothing away: nor will this glory of his descend with him.
18Because during this life his soul shall be blessed; let him praise Thee when Thou doest him a benefit.
19He shall go to the generation of his fathers; he shall never see light.
20A man who is in honour and hath not understanding, hath been compared to the brute beasts, and is like them.