Psalms 49

לַמְנַצֵּ֬חַ ׀ לִבְנֵי־קֹ֬רַח מִזְמֽוֹר׃

שִׁמְעוּ־זֹ֭את כָּל־הָֽעַמִּ֑ים הַ֝אֲזִ֗ינוּ כָּל־יֹ֥שְׁבֵי חָֽלֶד׃

For the choirmaster. A Psalm of the sons of Korah. Hear this, all you peoples; listen, all inhabitants of the world,

To the chief Musician, A Psalm for the sons of Korah.

Hear this, all ye people; give ear, all ye inhabitants of the world:

גַּם־בְּנֵ֣י אָ֭דָם גַּם־בְּנֵי־אִ֑ישׁ יַ֝֗חַד עָשִׁ֥יר וְאֶבְיֽוֹן׃

both low and high, rich and poor alike.

Both low and high, rich and poor, together.

פִּ֭י יְדַבֵּ֣ר חָכְמ֑וֹת וְהָג֖וּת לִבִּ֣י תְבוּנֽוֹת׃

My mouth will impart wisdom, and the meditation of my heart will bring understanding.

My mouth shall speak of wisdom; and the meditation of my heart shall be of understanding.

אַטֶּ֣ה לְמָשָׁ֣ל אָזְנִ֑י אֶפְתַּ֥ח בְּ֝כִנּ֗וֹר חִידָתִֽי׃

I will incline my ear to a proverb; I will express my riddle with the harp:

I will incline mine ear to a parable: I will open my dark saying upon the harp.

לָ֣מָּה אִ֭ירָא בִּ֣ימֵי רָ֑ע עֲוֺ֖ן עֲקֵבַ֣י יְסוּבֵּֽנִי׃

Why should I fear in times of trouble, when wicked usurpers surround me?

Wherefore should I fear in the days of evil, when the iniquity of my heels shall compass me about?

הַבֹּטְחִ֥ים עַל־חֵילָ֑ם וּבְרֹ֥ב עָ֝שְׁרָ֗ם יִתְהַלָּֽלוּ׃

They trust in their wealth and boast in their great riches.

They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches;

אָ֗ח לֹא־פָדֹ֣ה יִפְדֶּ֣ה אִ֑ישׁ לֹא־יִתֵּ֖ן לֵאלֹהִ֣ים כָּפְרֽוֹ׃

No man can possibly redeem his brother or pay his ransom to God.

None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him:

וְ֭יֵקַר פִּדְי֥וֹן נַפְשָׁ֗ם וְחָדַ֥ל לְעוֹלָֽם׃

For the redemption of his soul is costly, and never can payment suffice,

(For the redemption of their soul is precious, and it ceaseth for ever:)

וִֽיחִי־ע֥וֹד לָנֶ֑צַח לֹ֖א יִרְאֶ֣ה הַשָּֽׁחַת׃

that he should live on forever and not see decay.

That he should still live for ever, and not see corruption.

כִּ֤י יִרְאֶ֨ה ׀ חֲכָ֘מִ֤ים יָמ֗וּתוּ יַ֤חַד כְּסִ֣יל וָבַ֣עַר יֹאבֵ֑דוּ וְעָזְב֖וּ לַאֲחֵרִ֣ים חֵילָֽם׃

For it is clear that wise men die, and the foolish and the senseless both perish and leave their wealth to others.

For he seeth that wise men die, likewise the fool and the brutish person perish, and leave their wealth to others.

קִרְבָּ֤ם בָּתֵּ֨ימוֹ ׀ לְֽעוֹלָ֗ם מִ֭שְׁכְּנֹתָם לְדֹ֣ר וָדֹ֑ר קָֽרְא֥וּ בִ֝שְׁמוֹתָ֗ם עֲלֵ֣י אֲדָמֽוֹת׃

Their graves are their eternal homes—their dwellings for endless generations—even though their lands were their namesakes.

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.

וְאָדָ֣ם בִּ֭יקָר בַּל־יָלִ֑ין נִמְשַׁ֖ל כַּבְּהֵמ֣וֹת נִדְמֽוּ׃

But a man, despite his wealth, cannot endure; he is like the beasts that perish.

Nevertheless man being in honour abideth not: he is like the beasts that perish.

זֶ֣ה דַ֭רְכָּם כֵּ֣סֶל לָ֑מוֹ וְאַחֲרֵיהֶ֓ם ׀ בְּפִיהֶ֖ם יִרְצ֣וּ סֶֽלָה׃

This is the fate of the foolish and their followers who endorse their sayings. Selah

This their way is their folly: yet their posterity approve their sayings. Selah.

כַּצֹּ֤אן ׀ לִֽשְׁא֣וֹל שַׁתּוּ֮ מָ֤וֶת יִ֫רְעֵ֥ם וַיִּרְדּ֘וּ בָ֤ם יְשָׁרִ֨ים ׀ לַבֹּ֗קֶר (וצירם) [וְ֭צוּרָם] לְבַלּ֥וֹת שְׁא֗וֹל מִזְּבֻ֥ל לֽוֹ׃

Like 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.

Like sheep they are laid in the grave; death shall feed on them; and the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning; and their beauty shall consume in the grave from their dwelling.

אַךְ־אֱלֹהִ֗ים יִפְדֶּ֣ה נַ֭פְשִׁי מִֽיַּד־שְׁא֑וֹל כִּ֖י יִקָּחֵ֣נִי סֶֽלָה׃

But God will redeem my life from Sheol, for He will surely take me to Himself. Selah

But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave: for he shall receive me. Selah.

אַל־תִּ֭ירָא כִּֽי־יַעֲשִׁ֣ר אִ֑ישׁ כִּֽי־יִ֝רְבֶּה כְּב֣וֹד בֵּיתֽוֹ׃

Do not be afraid when a man grows rich, when the splendor of his house increases.

Be not thou afraid when one is made rich, when the glory of his house is increased;

כִּ֤י לֹ֣א בְ֭מוֹתוֹ יִקַּ֣ח הַכֹּ֑ל לֹא־יֵרֵ֖ד אַחֲרָ֣יו כְּבוֹדֽוֹ׃

For when he dies, he will carry nothing away; his abundance will not follow him down.

For when he dieth he shall carry nothing away: his glory shall not descend after him.

כִּֽי־נַ֭פְשׁוֹ בְּחַיָּ֣יו יְבָרֵ֑ךְ וְ֝יוֹדֻ֗ךָ כִּי־תֵיטִ֥יב לָֽךְ׃

Though in his lifetime he blesses his soul—and men praise you when you prosper—

Though while he lived he blessed his soul: and men will praise thee, when thou doest well to thyself.

תָּ֭בוֹא עַד־דּ֣וֹר אֲבוֹתָ֑יו עַד־נֵ֝֗צַח לֹ֣א יִרְאוּ־אֽוֹר׃

he will join the generation of his fathers, who will never see the light of day.

He shall go to the generation of his fathers; they shall never see light.

אָדָ֣ם בִּ֭יקָר וְלֹ֣א יָבִ֑ין נִמְשַׁ֖ל כַּבְּהֵמ֣וֹת נִדְמֽוּ׃

A man who has riches without understanding is like the beasts that perish.

Man that is in honour, and understandeth not, is like the beasts that perish.