LEB - Psalms - 49

49:1  Hear this, all you peoples; give ear, all you inhabitants of the world,

49:2  both low and high, rich and poor together.

49:3  My mouth will speak wisdom, and the meditation of my heart will be understanding.

49:4  I will incline my ear to a proverb; I will ⌞propound⌟ my riddle on a lyre.

49:5  Why should I fear in ⌞times of calamity⌟, when iniquity surrounds me at my heels,

49:6  those who trust their wealth and boast about the abundance of their riches?

49:7  Surely a man cannot redeem a brother. He cannot give to God his ransom

49:8  (since the redemption price for their life is costly and it always fails),

49:9  so that he may stay alive forever and not see the pit.

49:10  For he sees that the wise die, together with the fool and brute they perish, and leave their wealth to the next generation.

49:11  Within them they think their houses are forever, their dwelling places from generation to generation. They ⌞name⌟ their lands by their own names.

49:12  But man cannot continue in his pomp. He is like the beasts that perish.

49:13  This is the journey of those who have foolish confidence, and those after them who accept their sayings. Selah

49:14  Like sheep they are destined to Sheol; death will shepherd them. But the upright will rule over them in the morning, and their forms will be for Sheol to consume, far from his lofty abode.

49:15  Surely God will ransom my life from the ⌞power⌟ of Sheol, because he will receive me. Selah

49:16  Do not fear when a man becomes rich, when the wealth of his house increases,

49:17  because when he dies he will not take away any of it. His wealth will not follow down after him.

49:18  Though he congratulated his soul while he was living —and people will praise you when you do well for yourself—

49:19  it will go to the generation of his fathers. Never will they see light.

49:20  Humankind in its pomp, but does not understand, is like the beasts that perish.