Psalm 49
Revised Standard Version Catholic Edition
The Folly of Trust in Riches
To the choirmaster. A Psalm of the Sons of Korah.
49 Hear this, all peoples!
Give ear, all inhabitants of the world,
2 both low and high,
rich and poor together!
3 My mouth shall speak wisdom;
the meditation of my heart shall be understanding.
4 I will incline my ear to a proverb;
I will solve my riddle to the music of the lyre.
5 Why should I fear in times of trouble,
when the iniquity of my persecutors surrounds me,
6 men who trust in their wealth
and boast of the abundance of their riches?
7 Truly no man can ransom himself,[a]
or give to God the price of his life,
8 for the ransom of his[b] life is costly,
and can never suffice,
9 that he should continue to live on for ever,
and never see the Pit.
10 Yea, he shall see that even the wise die,
the fool and the stupid alike must perish
and leave their wealth to others.
11 Their graves[c] are their homes for ever,
their dwelling places to all generations,
though they named lands their own.
12 Man cannot abide in his pomp,
he is like the beasts that perish.
13 This is the fate of those who have foolish confidence,
the end of those[d] who are pleased with their portion.Selah
14 Like sheep they are appointed for Sheol;
Death shall be their shepherd;
straight to the grave they descend,[e]
and their form shall waste away;
Sheol shall be their home.[f]
15 But God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol,
for he will receive me.Selah
16 Be not afraid when one becomes rich,
when the glory[g] of his house increases.
17 For when he dies he will carry nothing away;
his glory[h] will not go down after him.
18 Though, while he lives, he counts himself happy,
and though a man gets praise when he does well for himself,
19 he will go to the generation of his fathers,
who will never more see the light.
20 Man cannot abide in his pomp,
he is like the beasts that perish.
Footnotes
- Psalm 49:7 Another reading is no man can ransom his brother
- Psalm 49:8 Gk: Heb their
- Psalm 49:11 Gk Syr Compare Tg: Heb their inward (thought)
- Psalm 49:13 Tg: Heb after them
- Psalm 49:14 Cn: Heb the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning
- Psalm 49:14 Heb uncertain
- Psalm 49:16 Or wealth
- Psalm 49:17 Or wealth
Psalm 49
New International Version
Psalm 49[a]
For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm.
1 Hear(A) this, all you peoples;(B)
listen, all who live in this world,(C)
2 both low and high,(D)
rich and poor alike:
3 My mouth will speak words of wisdom;(E)
the meditation of my heart will give you understanding.(F)
4 I will turn my ear to a proverb;(G)
with the harp(H) I will expound my riddle:(I)
5 Why should I fear(J) when evil days come,
when wicked deceivers surround me—
6 those who trust in their wealth(K)
and boast(L) of their great riches?(M)
7 No one can redeem the life of another
or give to God a ransom for them—
8 the ransom(N) for a life is costly,
no payment is ever enough—(O)
9 so that they should live on(P) forever
and not see decay.(Q)
10 For all can see that the wise die,(R)
that the foolish and the senseless(S) also perish,
leaving their wealth(T) to others.(U)
11 Their tombs(V) will remain their houses[b] forever,
their dwellings for endless generations,(W)
though they had[c] named(X) lands after themselves.
13 This is the fate of those who trust in themselves,(AA)
and of their followers, who approve their sayings.[d]
14 They are like sheep and are destined(AB) to die;(AC)
death will be their shepherd
(but the upright will prevail(AD) over them in the morning).
Their forms will decay in the grave,
far from their princely mansions.
15 But God will redeem me from the realm of the dead;(AE)
he will surely take me to himself.(AF)
16 Do not be overawed when others grow rich,
when the splendor of their houses increases;
17 for they will take nothing(AG) with them when they die,
their splendor will not descend with them.(AH)
18 Though while they live they count themselves blessed—(AI)
and people praise you when you prosper—
19 they will join those who have gone before them,(AJ)
who will never again see the light(AK) of life.
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
- Psalm 49:13 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 15.
Salmos 49
La Biblia de las Américas
La insensatez de confiar en las riquezas
Para el director del coro. Salmo de los hijos de Coré.
49 Oíd esto, pueblos todos(A);
escuchad, habitantes todos del mundo(B),
2 tanto humildes como encumbrados(C),
ricos y pobres juntamente.
3 Mi boca hablará sabiduría(D),
y la meditación de mi corazón será entendimiento(E).
4 Inclinaré al proverbio mi oído(F),
con el arpa[a](G) declararé[b] mi enigma(H).
5 ¿Por qué he de temer en los días de adversidad(I)
cuando la iniquidad de mis enemigos[c] me rodee,
6 de los que confían en sus bienes(J)
y se jactan de la abundancia de sus riquezas?
7 Nadie puede en manera alguna redimir a su hermano(K),
ni dar a Dios rescate(L) por él,
8 porque la redención de su alma[d] es muy costosa(M),
y debe abandonar el intento para siempre,
9 para que viva eternamente(N),
para que no vea corrupción[e](O).
10 Porque él ve que aun los sabios mueren(P);
el torpe y el necio(Q) perecen de igual manera,
y dejan sus riquezas a otros(R).
11 Su íntimo pensamiento(S) es que sus casas serán eternas[f](T),
y sus moradas por todas las generaciones;
y a sus tierras han dado sus nombres(U).
12 Mas el hombre, en su vanagloria[g], no permanecerá;
es como las bestias[h] que perecen[i](V).
13 Este es el camino de los insensatos(W),
y de los que después de ellos aprueban sus palabras(X). (Selah[j])
14 Como ovejas son destinados para el Seol[k](Y),
la muerte los pastoreará,
los rectos los regirán por la mañana(Z);
su forma[l] será para que el Seol la consuma(AA),
de modo que no tienen morada[m].
15 Pero Dios redimirá mi alma del poder[n] del Seol(AB),
pues Él me recibirá(AC). (Selah)
16 No temas cuando alguno se enriquece(AD),
cuando la gloria[o] de su casa aumenta;
17 porque nada se llevará cuando muera(AE),
ni su gloria[p] descenderá con[q] él.
18 Aunque mientras viva, a sí mismo[r] se felicite(AF)
(y aunque los hombres te alaben cuando prosperes),
19 irá a reunirse con la generación de sus padres(AG),
quienes nunca verán la luz(AH).
20 El hombre en su vanagloria[s], pero sin entendimiento,
es como las bestias[t] que perecen[u](AI).
Footnotes
- Salmos 49:4 O, lira
- Salmos 49:4 Lit., abriré
- Salmos 49:5 Lit., suplantadores
- Salmos 49:8 Lit., del alma de ellos
- Salmos 49:9 O, la fosa
- Salmos 49:11 Algunas versiones antiguas dicen: Sus tumbas son sus casas para siempre
- Salmos 49:12 Lit., honor
- Salmos 49:12 O, los animales
- Salmos 49:12 Lit., son destruidas
- Salmos 49:13 Posiblemente, Pausa, Crescendo, o Interludio
- Salmos 49:14 I.e., región de los muertos
- Salmos 49:14 O, cuerpo
- Salmos 49:14 Lit., lejos de su habitación
- Salmos 49:15 Lit., de la mano
- Salmos 49:16 O, riqueza
- Salmos 49:17 O, riqueza
- Salmos 49:17 Lit., tras
- Salmos 49:18 Lit., su alma
- Salmos 49:20 Lit., honor
- Salmos 49:20 O, los animales
- Salmos 49:20 Lit., son destruidas
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