Psalm 49:1-12

New International Version

Psalm 49^[a]

For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm.

¹Hear^(A) this, all you peoples;^(B)
    listen, all who live in this world,^(C)
²both low and high,^(D)
    rich and poor alike:
³My mouth will speak words of wisdom;^(E)
    the meditation of my heart will give you understanding.^(F)
⁴I will turn my ear to a proverb;^(G)
    with the harp^(H) I will expound my riddle:^(I)

⁵Why should I fear^(J) when evil days come,
    when wicked deceivers surround me—
⁶those who trust in their wealth^(K)
    and boast^(L) of their great riches?^(M)
⁷No one can redeem the life of another
    or give to God a ransom for them—
⁸the ransom^(N) for a life is costly,
    no payment is ever enough—^(O)
⁹so that they should live on^(P) forever
    and not see decay.^(Q)
¹⁰For all can see that the wise die,^(R)
    that the foolish and the senseless^(S) also perish,
    leaving their wealth^(T) to others.^(U)
¹¹Their tombs^(V) will remain their houses^[b] forever,
    their dwellings for endless generations,^(W)
    though they had^[c] named^(X) lands after themselves.

¹²People, despite their wealth, do not endure;^(Y)
they are like the beasts that perish.^(Z)

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Footnotes

Psalm 49:1 In Hebrew texts 49:1-20 is numbered 49:2-21.
Psalm 49:11 Septuagint and Syriac; Hebrew In their thoughts their houses will remain
Psalm 49:11 Or generations, / for they have