Psalms
49
- Hear this, all you peoples; listen, all
who live in this world,
- both low and high, rich and poor alike:
- My mouth will speak words of wisdom; the
utterance from my heart will give understanding.
- I will turn my ear to a proverb; with the
harp I will expound my riddle:
- Why should I fear when evil days come, when
wicked deceivers surround me --
- those who trust in their wealth and boast
of their great riches ?
- No man can redeem the life of another or
give to God a ransom for him --
- the ransom for a life is costly, no payment
is ever enough --
- that he should live on forever and not see
decay.
- For all can see that wise men die; the foolish
and the senseless alike perish and leave their wealth to others.
- Their tombs will remain their houses forever,
their dwellings for endless generations, though they had named lands after
themselves.
- But man, despite his riches, does not endure;
he is like the beasts that perish.
- This is the fate of those who trust in themselves,
and of their followers, who approve their sayings. Selah
- 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.
- But God will redeem my life from the grave;
he will surely take me to himself. Selah
- Do not be overawed when a man grows rich,
when the splendor of his house increases;
- for he will take nothing with him when he
dies, his splendor will not descend with him.
- Though while he lived he counted himself
blessed--and men praise you when you prosper --
- he will join the generation of his fathers,
who will never see the light of life.
- A man who has riches without understanding
is like the beasts that perish.
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