New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures — With References (Rbi8, en_US, 1984)

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Psalms, 49

To the director. Of the sons of Koʹrah. A melody.

1 Hear this, all YOU peoples. Give ear, all YOU inhabitants of the system of things,*1

  1. Or, “the duration of life.” Heb., chaʹledh.

2 YOU sons of humankind*1 as well as YOU sons of man,*2 You rich one and you poor one together.

  1. “Humankind.” Heb., ʼa·dhamʹ.

  2. “Man.” Heb., ʼish.

3 My own mouth will speak things of wisdom, And the meditation of my heart will be of things of understanding.

4 To a proverbial utterance I shall incline my ear; On a harp I shall open up my riddle.

5 Why should I be afraid in the days of evil, [When] the very error of my supplanters*1 surrounds me?

  1. “Supplanters,” by a change of vowel pointing; M, “heels.”

6 Those who are trusting in their means of maintenance, And who keep boasting about the abundance of their riches,

7 Not one of them*1 can by any means redeem even a brother, Nor give to God a ransom for him;*2

  1. “One of them.” Heb., ʼish.

  2. Or, “a ransom for himself.” Lit., “his cover.” Heb., koph·rohʹ.

8 (And the redemption price of their*1 soul is so precious That it has ceased to time indefinite)

  1. “Their,” MSy; LXXVg, “his.”

9 That he should still live forever [and] not see the pit.

10 For he sees that even the wise ones die, Together the stupid one and the unreasoning one perish, And they must leave to others their means of maintenance.

11 Their inward wish*1 is that their houses may be to time indefinite, Their tabernacles to generation after generation. They have called their landed estates by their names.

  1. “Their inward wish,” M; LXXSyVg, “Their graves.”

12 And yet earthling man,*1 though in honor, cannot keep lodging; He is indeed comparable with the beasts that have been destroyed.*2

  1. “And yet earthling man.” Heb., weʼa·dhamʹ.

  2. Or, “silenced.”

13 This is the way of those who have stupidity, And of those coming after them who take pleasure in their very mouthings.*1 Seʹlah.

  1. Lit., “mouth.”

14 Like sheep they have been appointed*1 to Sheʹol itself; Death itself will shepherd*2 them; And the upright ones will have them in subjection in the morning, And their forms*3 are due to wear away; Sheʹol rather than a lofty abode is for each one.*4

  1. Lit., “they have appointed [them].” By a correction of the verb, “they will descend (drop).”

  2. Or, “pasture [tend].”

  3. “Their rock,” Mmargin.

  4. Or, “for him,” that is, for each one in the group.

15 However, God himself will redeem my soul from the hand of Sheʹol, For he will receive me. Seʹlah.

16 Do not be afraid because some man gains riches, Because the glory of his house increases,

17 For at his death he cannot take along anything at all; His glory will not go down along with him himself.

18 For during his lifetime he kept blessing his own soul; (And people will laud you because you do well for yourself)

19 [His soul]*1 finally comes only as far as the generation of his forefathers. Nevermore will they see the light.

  1. Lit., “it,” fem., referring to the “soul.”

20 Earthling man, although in honor, who does not understand,*1 Is indeed comparable with the beasts that have been destroyed.

  1. “Who does not understand,” M; by altering the Heb. verb form in harmony with vs 12a, “even does not keep lodging.”