1 Alamoth. To the chief music-maker. Of the sons of Korah. A Psalm. 2 \49:1\Give attention to this, all you peoples; let your ears be open, all you who are living in the world.3 \49:2\High and low together, the poor, and those who have wealth.4 \49:3\From my mouth will come words of wisdom; and in the thoughts of my heart will be knowledge.5 \49:4\I will put my teaching into a story; I will make my dark sayings clear with music.6 \49:5\What cause have I for fear in the days of evil, when the evil-doing of those who are working for my downfall is round about me?7 \49:6\Even of those whose faith is in their wealth, and whose hearts are lifted up because of their stores.8 \49:7\Truly, no man may get back his soul for a price, or give to God the payment for himself;9 \49:8\(Because it takes a great price to keep his soul from death, and man is not able to give it.)10 \49:9\So that he might have eternal life, and never see the underworld.11 \49:10\For he sees that wise men come to their end, and foolish persons of low behaviour come to destruction together, letting their wealth go to others.12 \49:11\The place of the dead is their house for ever, and their resting-place through all generations; those who come after them give their names to their lands.13 \49:12\But man, like the animals, does not go on for ever; he comes to an end like the beasts.14 \49:13\This is the way of the foolish; their silver is for those who come after them, and their children get the pleasure of their gold. (Selah.)15 \49:14\Death will give them their food like sheep; the underworld is their fate and they will go down into it; their flesh is food for worms; their form is wasted away; the underworld is their resting-place for ever.16 \49:15\But God will get back my soul; for he will take me from the power of death. (Selah.)17 \49:16\Have no fear when wealth comes to a man, and the glory of his house is increased;18 \49:17\For at his death, he will take nothing away; his glory will not go down after him.19 \49:18\Though he might have pride in his soul in his life-time, and men will give you praise if you do well for yourself,20 \49:19\He will go to the generation of his fathers; he will not see the light again.21 \49:20\Man, like the animals, does not go on for ever; he comes to an end like the beasts.

1 [To the chief Musician. Of the sons of Korah. A Psalm.] Hear this, all ye peoples; give ear, all inhabitants of the world:2 Both men of low and men of high degree, rich and poor alike.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 riddle upon the harp.5 Wherefore should I fear in the days of adversity, {when} the iniquity of my supplanters encompasseth me? -6 They depend upon their wealth, and boast themselves in the abundance of their riches. ...7 None 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 given up for ever,)9 That he should still live perpetually, {and} not see corruption.10 For he seeth that wise men die; all alike, the fool and the brutish perish, and they leave their wealth to others.11 Their inward thought is, that their houses are for ever, their dwelling-places from generation to generation: they call the lands after their own names.12 Nevertheless, man being in honour abideth not: he is like the beasts that perish.13 This their way is their folly, yet they that come after them delight in their sayings. Selah.14 Like sheep are they laid in Sheol: Death feedeth on them; and the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning; and their comeliness shall be for Sheol to consume, that there be no habitation for them.15 But God will redeem my soul from the power of Sheol: for he will receive me. Selah.16 Be not afraid when a man becometh 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 he blessed his soul in his lifetime, -and men will praise thee when thou doest well to thyself, -19 It shall go to the generation of his fathers: they shall never see light.20 Man that is in honour, and understandeth not, is like the beasts that perish.