Psalm 49
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Psalm 49 For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm.
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Hear this, all you peoples; listen, all who live in this world,
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both low and high, rich and poor alike:
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My mouth will speak words of wisdom; the utterance from my heart will give understanding.
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I will turn my ear to a proverb; with the harp I will expound my riddle:
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Why should I fear when evil days come, when wicked deceivers surround me--
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those who trust in their wealth and boast of their great riches?
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No man can redeem the life of another or give to God a ransom for him--
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the ransom for a life is costly, no payment is ever enough--
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that he should live on forever and not see decay.
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For all can see that wise men die; the foolish and the senseless alike perish and leave their wealth to others.
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Their tombs will remain their houses [1] forever, their dwellings for endless generations, though they had [2] named lands after themselves.
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But man, despite his riches, does not endure; he is [3] like the beasts that perish.
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This is the fate of those who trust in themselves, and of their followers, who approve their sayings. Selah
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Like sheep they are destined for the grave, [4] and death will feed on them. The upright will rule over them in the morning; their forms will decay in the grave, [5] far from their princely mansions.
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But God will redeem my life [6] from the grave; he will surely take me to himself. Selah
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Do not be overawed when a man grows rich, when the splendor of his house increases;
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for he will take nothing with him when he dies, his splendor will not descend with him.
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Though while he lived he counted himself blessed-- and men praise you when you prosper--
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he will join the generation of his fathers, who will never see the light [of life].
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A man who has riches without understanding is like the beasts that perish.
  1. [11] Septuagint and Syriac; Hebrew In their thoughts their houses will remain
  2. [11] Or for they have
  3. [12] Hebrew; Septuagint and Syriac read verse 12 the same as verse 20.
  4. [14] Hebrew Sheol; also in verse 15
  5. [14] Hebrew Sheol; also in verse 15
  6. [15] Or soul