Psalms 49

اِسْمَعُوا هذَا يَا جَمِيعَ الشُّعُوبِ. أَصْغُوا يَا جَمِيعَ سُكَّانِ الدُّنْيَا،

Hear this, all ye people; give ear, all ye inhabitants of the world:

عَالٍ وَدُونٍ، أَغْنِيَاءَ وَفُقَرَاءَ، سَوَاءً.

Both low and high, rich and poor, together.

فَمِي يَتَكَلَّمُ بِالْحِكَمِ، وَلَهَجُ قَلْبِي فَهْمٌ.

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

أُمِيلُ أُذُنِي إِلَى مَثَل، وَأُوضِّحُ بِعُودٍ لُغْزِي.

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

لِمَاذَا أَخَافُ فِي أَيَّامِ الشَّرِّ عِنْدَمَا يُحِيطُ بِي إِثْمُ مُتَعَقِّبِيَّ؟

Wherefore should I fear in the days of evil, when the iniquity of my heels shall compass me about?

الَّذِينَ يَتَّكِلُونَ عَلَى ثَرْوَتِهِمْ، وَبِكَثْرَةِ غِنَاهُمْ يَفْتَخِرُونَ.

They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches;

الأَخُ لَنْ يَفْدِيَ الإِنْسَانَ فِدَاءً، وَلاَ يُعْطِيَ اللهَ كَفَّارَةً عَنْهُ.

None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him:

وَكَرِيمَةٌ هِيَ فِدْيَةُ نُفُوسِهِمْ، فَغَلِقَتْ إِلَى الدَّهْرِ.

(For the redemption of their soul is precious, and it ceaseth for ever:)

حَتَّى يَحْيَا إِلَى الأَبَدِ فَلاَ يَرَى الْقَبْرَ.

That he should still live for ever, and not see corruption.

بَلْ يَرَاهُ! الْحُكَمَاءُ يَمُوتُونَ. كَذلِكَ الْجَاهِلُ وَالْبَلِيدُ يَهْلِكَانِ، وَيَتْرُكَانِ ثَرْوَتَهُمَا لآخَرِينَ.

For he seeth that wise men die, likewise the fool and the brutish person perish, and leave their wealth to others.

بَاطِنُهُمْ أَنَّ بُيُوتَهُمْ إِلَى الأَبَدِ، مَسَاكِنَهُمْ إِلَى دَوْرٍ فَدَوْرٍ. يُنَادُونَ بِأَسْمَائِهِمْ فِي الأَرَاضِي.

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.

وَالإِنْسَانُ فِي كَرَامَةٍ لاَ يَبِيتُ. يُشْبِهُ الْبَهَائِمَ الَّتِي تُبَادُ.

Nevertheless man being in honour abideth not: he is like the beasts that perish.

هذَا طَرِيقُهُمُ اعْتِمَادُهُمْ، وَخُلَفَاؤُهُمْ يَرْتَضُونَ بِأَقْوَالِهِمْ. سِلاَهْ.

This their way is their folly: yet their posterity approve their sayings. Selah.

مِثْلَ الْغَنَمِ لِلْهَاوِيَةِ يُسَاقُونَ. الْمَوْتُ يَرْعَاهُمْ، وَيَسُودُهُمُ الْمُسْتَقِيمُونَ. غَدَاةً وَصُورَتُهُمْ تَبْلَى. الْهَاوِيَةُ مَسْكَنٌ لَهُمْ.

Like sheep they are laid in the grave; death shall feed on them; and the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning; and their beauty shall consume in the grave from their dwelling.

إِنَّمَا اللهُ يَفْدِي نَفْسِي مِنْ يَدِ الْهَاوِيَةِ لأَنَّهُ يَأْخُذُنِي. سِلاَهْ.

But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave: for he shall receive me. Selah.

لاَ تَخْشَ إِذَا اسْتَغْنَى إِنْسَانٌ، إِذَا زَادَ مَجْدُ بَيْتِهِ.

Be not thou afraid when one is made rich, when the glory of his house is increased;

لأَنَّهُ عِنْدَ مَوْتِهِ كُلَّهُ لاَ يَأْخُذُ. لاَ يَنْزِلُ وَرَاءَهُ مَجْدُهُ.

For when he dieth he shall carry nothing away: his glory shall not descend after him.

لأَنَّهُ فِي حَيَاتِهِ يُبَارِكُ نَفْسَهُ، وَيَحْمَدُونَكَ إِذَا أَحْسَنْتَ إِلَى نَفْسِكَ.

Though while he lived he blessed his soul: and men will praise thee, when thou doest well to thyself.

تَدْخُلُ إِلَى جِيلِ آبَائِهِ، الَّذِينَ لاَ يُعَايِنُونَ النُّورَ إِلَى الأَبَدِ.

He shall go to the generation of his fathers; they shall never see light.

إِنْسَانٌ فِي كَرَامَةٍ وَلاَ يَفْهَمُ يُشْبِهُ الْبَهَائِمَ الَّتِي تُبَادُ.

Man that is in honour, and understandeth not, is like the beasts that perish.