Psalm 49

¹ For the Chief Musician; a Psalm of the sons of Korah. Hear this, all ye peoples; give ear, all ye inhabitants of the world:

² Both low and high, rich and poor together.

³ My mouth shall speak wisdom; and the meditation of my heart shall be of understanding.

⁴ I will incline mine ear to a parable: I will open my dark saying upon the harp.

⁵ Wherefore should I fear in the days of evil, when iniquity at my heels compasseth me about?

⁶ They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches;

⁷ None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him:

⁸ (For the redemption of their soul is costly, and must be let alone for ever:)

⁹ That he should still live alway, that he should not see corruption.

¹⁰ For he seeth that wise men die, the fool and the brutish together perish, and leave their wealth to others.

¹¹ 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.

¹² But man abideth not in honour: he is like the beasts that perish.

¹³ This their way is their folly: yet after them men approve their sayings. Selah

¹⁴ They are appointed as a flock for Sheol; death shall be their shepherd: and the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning; and their beauty shall be for Sheol to consume, that there be no habitation for it.

¹⁵ But God will redeem my soul from the power of Sheol: for he shall receive me. Selah

¹⁶ Be not thou afraid when one is made rich, when the glory of his house is increased:

¹⁷ For when he dieth he shall carry nothing away; his glory shall not descend after him.

¹⁸ Though while he lived he blessed his soul, and men praise thee, when thou doest well to thyself,

¹⁹ He shall go to the generation of his fathers; they shall never see the light.

²⁰ Man that is in honour, and understandeth not, is like the beasts that perish.