The Foolishness of Trusting in Riches.

For the music director. A Psalm of the sons of Korah.

49 (A)Hear this, all peoples;
Listen, all (B)inhabitants of the world,
Both (C)low and high,
Rich and poor together.
My mouth will (D)speak wisdom,
And the meditation of my heart will be (E)understanding.
I will incline my ear to (F)a proverb;
(G)I will [a]express my (H)riddle on the harp.

Why should I (I)fear in days of adversity,
When the injustice of those who betray me surrounds me,
Those who (J)trust in their wealth
And boast in the abundance of their riches?
No one can by any means (K)redeem another
Or give God a (L)ransom for him—
For (M)the redemption of [b]his soul is priceless,
And he should cease imagining forever—
That he might (N)live on eternally,
That he might not [c](O)undergo decay.

10 For he sees that even (P)wise people die;
The (Q)foolish and the stupid alike perish
And (R)leave their wealth to others.
11 Their [d](S)inner thought is that their houses (T)are forever
And their dwelling places to all generations;
They have (U)named their lands after their own names.
12 But (V)man in his splendor will not endure;
He is like the animals that [e]perish.

13 This is the (W)way of those who are foolish,
And of those after them who (X)approve their words. Selah
14 Like sheep they sink down (Y)to [f]Sheol;
Death will be their shepherd;
And the (Z)upright will rule over them in the morning,
And their form shall be for [g]Sheol (AA)to consume
[h]So that they have no lofty home.
15 But God will (AB)redeem my soul from the [i]power of [j]Sheol,
For (AC)He will receive me. Selah

16 Do not be afraid (AD)when a person becomes rich,
When the splendor of his house is increased;
17 For when he dies, he will (AE)take nothing with him;
His [k]wealth will not descend after him.
18 Though while he lives he (AF)congratulates [l]himself—
And though people praise you when you do well for yourself—
19 [m]He will (AG)go to the generation of his fathers;
They will never see (AH)the light.
20 (AI)Mankind in its splendor, yet without understanding,
Is (AJ)like the animals that [n]perish.

Notas al pie

  1. Psalm 49:4 Lit open up
  2. Psalm 49:8 Lit their
  3. Psalm 49:9 Or see corruption; lit see the pit
  4. Psalm 49:11 Some ancient versions graves are their houses
  5. Psalm 49:12 Lit are destroyed
  6. Psalm 49:14 I.e., the netherworld
  7. Psalm 49:14 I.e., the netherworld
  8. Psalm 49:14 Lit Away from his habitation
  9. Psalm 49:15 Lit hand
  10. Psalm 49:15 I.e., the netherworld
  11. Psalm 49:17 Lit glory
  12. Psalm 49:18 Lit his soul
  13. Psalm 49:19 Lit You; or It
  14. Psalm 49:20 Lit are destroyed

Psalm 49

The Folly of Trust in Riches

To the leader. Of the Korahites. A Psalm.

Hear this, all you peoples;
    give ear, all inhabitants of the world,(A)
both low and high,
    rich and poor together.
My mouth shall speak wisdom;
    the meditation of my heart shall be understanding.(B)
I will incline my ear to a proverb;
    I will solve my riddle to the music of the harp.(C)

Why should I fear in times of trouble,
    when the iniquity of my persecutors surrounds me,(D)
those who trust in their wealth
    and boast of the abundance of their riches?(E)
Truly, no ransom avails for one’s life;[a]
    there is no price one can give to God for it.(F)
For the ransom of life is costly
    and can never suffice,(G)
that one should live on forever
    and never see the Pit.(H)

10 When we look at the wise, they die;
    fool and dolt perish together
    and leave their wealth to others.(I)
11 Their graves[b] are their homes forever,
    their dwelling places to all generations,
    though they named lands their own.(J)
12 Mortals cannot abide in their pomp;
    they are like the animals that perish.(K)

13 Such is the fate of the foolhardy,
    the end of those[c] who are pleased with their lot. Selah(L)
14 Like sheep they are appointed for Sheol;
    Death shall be their shepherd;
straight to the grave they descend,[d]
    and their form shall waste away;
    Sheol shall be their home.[e](M)
15 But God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol,
    for he will receive me. Selah(N)

16 Do not be afraid when some become rich,
    when the wealth of their houses increases.(O)
17 For when they die they will carry nothing away;
    their wealth will not go down after them.(P)
18 Though in their lifetime they count themselves happy
    —for you are praised when you do well for yourself—(Q)
19 they[f] will go to the company of their ancestors,
    who will never again see the light.(R)
20 Mortals cannot abide in their pomp;
    they are like the animals that perish.(S)

Notas al pie

  1. 49.7 Or no one can ransom a brother
  2. 49.11 Gk Syr Compare Tg: Heb their inward thought
  3. 49.13 Tg: Heb after them
  4. 49.14 Cn: Heb the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning
  5. 49.14 Meaning of Heb uncertain
  6. 49.19 Cn: Heb you