Psalms 49

The psalmist addresses all peoples with a wisdom meditation on death and riches. No man can redeem his brother or give God a ransom for his soul; the wise and the fool alike perish and leave their wealth to others. Man that is in honour and understands not is like the beasts that perish.

v	King James Version	Modern English
1	Hear this, all ye people; give ear, all ye inhabitants of the world:	Hear this, all you peoples; listen, all who live in this world,
2	Both low and high, rich and poor, together.	both low and high, rich and poor alike:
3	My mouth shall speak of wisdom; and the meditation of my heart shall be of understanding.	My mouth will speak words of wisdom; the meditation of my heart will give you understanding.
4	I will incline mine ear to a parable: I will open my dark saying upon the harp.	I will turn my ear to a proverb; with the harp I will expound my riddle:
5	Wherefore should I fear in the days of evil, when the iniquity of my heels shall compass me about?	Why should I fear when evil days come, when wicked deceivers surround me —
6	They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches;	those who trust in their wealth and boast of their great riches?
7	None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him:	No one can redeem the life of another or give to God a sufficient ransom for them —
8	(For the redemption of their soul is precious, and it ceaseth for ever:)	the ransom for a life is costly, no payment is ever enough —
9	That he should still live for ever, and not see corruption.	so that they should live on forever and not see decay.
10	For he seeth that wise men die, likewise the fool and the brutish person perish, and leave their wealth to others.	For all can see that the wise die, that the foolish and the senseless also perish, leaving 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.	Their tombs will remain their houses forever, their dwellings for endless generations, though they had named lands after themselves.
12	Nevertheless man being in honour abideth not: he is like the beasts that perish.	People, despite their wealth, do not endure; they are like the beasts that perish.
13	This their way is their folly: yet their posterity approve their sayings. Selah.	This is the fate of those who trust in themselves, and of their followers, who approve their sayings.
14	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.	They are like sheep and are destined to die; death will be their shepherd (but the upright will prevail over them in the morning). Their forms will decay in the grave, far from their princely mansions.
15	But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave: for he shall receive me. Selah.	But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave, for He shall receive me. Selah.
16	Be not thou afraid when one is made rich, when the glory of his house is increased;	Do not be overawed when others grow rich, when the splendor of their houses increases;
17	For when he dieth he shall carry nothing away: his glory shall not descend after him.	for they will take nothing with them when they die, their splendor will not descend with them.
18	Though while he lived he blessed his soul: and men will praise thee, when thou doest well to thyself.	Though while they live they count themselves blessed — and people praise you when you prosper —
19	He shall go to the generation of his fathers; they shall never see light.	they will join those who have gone before them, who will never again see the light of life.
20	Man that is in honour, and understandeth not, is like the beasts that perish.	People who have wealth but lack understanding are like the beasts that perish.