Psalms 49

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

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

Both low and high, rich and poor, together.

عَالٍ وَدُونٍ، أَغْنِيَاءَ وَفُقَرَاءَ، سَوَاءً.

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

فَمِي يَتَكَلَّمُ بِالْحِكَمِ، وَلَهَجُ قَلْبِي فَهْمٌ.

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

أُمِيلُ أُذُنِي إِلَى مَثَل، وَأُوضِّحُ بِعُودٍ لُغْزِي.

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

لِمَاذَا أَخَافُ فِي أَيَّامِ الشَّرِّ عِنْدَمَا يُحِيطُ بِي إِثْمُ مُتَعَقِّبِيَّ؟

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

الَّذِينَ يَتَّكِلُونَ عَلَى ثَرْوَتِهِمْ، وَبِكَثْرَةِ غِنَاهُمْ يَفْتَخِرُونَ.

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

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

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

وَكَرِيمَةٌ هِيَ فِدْيَةُ نُفُوسِهِمْ، فَغَلِقَتْ إِلَى الدَّهْرِ.

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

حَتَّى يَحْيَا إِلَى الأَبَدِ فَلاَ يَرَى الْقَبْرَ.

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

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

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.

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

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

وَالإِنْسَانُ فِي كَرَامَةٍ لاَ يَبِيتُ. يُشْبِهُ الْبَهَائِمَ الَّتِي تُبَادُ.

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

هذَا طَرِيقُهُمُ اعْتِمَادُهُمْ، وَخُلَفَاؤُهُمْ يَرْتَضُونَ بِأَقْوَالِهِمْ. سِلاَهْ.

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.

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

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

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

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

لاَ تَخْشَ إِذَا اسْتَغْنَى إِنْسَانٌ، إِذَا زَادَ مَجْدُ بَيْتِهِ.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

إِنْسَانٌ فِي كَرَامَةٍ وَلاَ يَفْهَمُ يُشْبِهُ الْبَهَائِمَ الَّتِي تُبَادُ.