Psalm 49 in Hebrew and English

1לַמְנַצֵּחַ לִבְנֵי־קֹרַח מִזְמוֹר׃

For the Leader; a Psalm for the sons of Korah.

2שִׁמְעוּ־זֹאת כָּל־הָעַמִּים הַאֲזִינוּ כָּל־יֹשְׁבֵי חָלֶד׃

Hear this, all ye peoples; Give ear, all ye inhabitants of the world,

3גַּם־בְּנֵי אָדָם גַּם־בְּנֵי־אִישׁ יַחַד עָשִׁיר וְאֶבְיוֹן׃

Both low and high, Rich and poor together.

4פִּי יְדַבֵּר חָכְמוֹת וְהָגוּת לִבִּי תְבוּנוֹת׃

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

5אַטֶּה לְמָשָׁל אָזְנִי אֶפְתַּח בְּכִנּוֹר חִידָתִי׃

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

6לָמָּה אִירָא בִּימֵי רָע עֲוֺן עֲקֵבַי יְסוּבֵּנִי׃

Wherefore should I fear in the days of evil, when the iniquity of my supplanters compasseth me about,

7הַבֹּטְחִים עַל־חֵילָם וּבְרֹב עָשְׁרָם יִתְהַלָּלוּ׃

Of them that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches?

8אָח לֹא־פָדֹה יִפְדֶּה אִישׁ לֹא־יִתֵּן לֵאלֹהִים כָּפְרוֹ׃

No man can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him

9וְיֵקַר פִּדְיוֹן נַפְשָׁם וְחָדַל לְעוֹלָם׃

For too costly is the redemption of their soul, and must be let alone for ever

10וִיחִי־עוֹד לָנֶצַח לֹא יִרְאֶה הַשָּׁחַת׃

That he should still live always, that he should not see the pit.

11כִּי יִרְאֶה חֲכָמִים יָמוּתוּ יַחַד כְּסִיל וָבַעַר יֹאבֵדוּ וְעָזְבוּ לַאֲחֵרִים חֵילָם׃

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

12קִרְבָּם בָּתֵּימוֹ לְעוֹלָם מִשְׁכְּנֹתָם לְדֹר וָדֹר קָרְאוּ בִשְׁמוֹתָם עֲלֵי אֲדָמוֹת׃

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.

13וְאָדָם בִּיקָר בַּל־יָלִין נִמְשַׁל כַּבְּהֵמוֹת נִדְמוּ׃

But man abideth not in honour; He is like the beasts that perish.

14זֶה דַרְכָּם כֵּסֶל לָמוֹ וְאַחֲרֵיהֶם בְּפִיהֶם יִרְצוּ סֶלָה׃

This is the way of them that are foolish, and of those who after them approve their sayings. Selah

15כַּצֹּאן לִשְׁאוֹל שַׁתּוּ מָוֶת יִרְעֵם וַיִּרְדּוּ בָם יְשָׁרִים לַבֹּקֶר וצירם [וְצוּרָם] לְבַלּוֹת שְׁאוֹל מִזְּבֻל לוֹ׃

Like sheep they are appointed for the nether-world; death shall be their shepherd; and the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning; And their form shall be for the nether-world to wear away, That there be no habitation for it.

16אַךְ־אֱלֹהִים יִפְדֶּה נַפְשִׁי מִיַּד־שְׁאוֹל כִּי יִקָּחֵנִי סֶלָה׃

But God will redeem my soul from the power of the nether-world; For He shall receive me. Selah

17אַל־תִּירָא כִּי־יַעֲשִׁר אִישׁ כִּי־יִרְבֶּה כְּבוֹד בֵּיתוֹ׃

Be not thou afraid when one waxeth rich, When the wealth of his house is increased;

18כִּי לֹא בְמוֹתוֹ יִקַּח הַכֹּל לֹא־יֵרֵד אַחֲרָיו כְּבוֹדוֹ׃

For when he dieth he shall carry nothing away; His wealth shall not descend after him.

19כִּי־נַפְשׁוֹ בְּחַיָּיו יְבָרֵךְ וְיוֹדֻךָ כִּי־תֵיטִיב לָךְ׃

Though while he lived he blessed his soul: 'Men will praise thee, when thou shalt do well to thyself';

20תָּבוֹא עַד־דּוֹר אֲבוֹתָיו עַד־נֵצַח לֹא יִרְאוּ־אוֹר׃

It shall go to the generation of his fathers; They shall never see the light..

21אָדָם בִּיקָר וְלֹא יָבִין נִמְשַׁל כַּבְּהֵמוֹת נִדְמוּ׃

Man that is in honour understandeth not; He is like the beasts that perish.