The Foolishness of Trusting in RichesPs 49 Hebrew title: A psalm by the clan of Korah.

1Hear this, everyone!

Listen, all people everywhere,

2great and small alike,

rich and poor together.

3My thoughts will be clear;

I will speak words of wisdom.

4I will turn my attention to proverbs

and explain their meaning as I play the harp.

5I am not afraid in times of danger

when I am surrounded by enemies,

6by evil people who trust in their riches

and boast of their great wealth.

7A person can never redeem himself;

he cannot pay God the price for his life,

8because the payment for a human life is too great.

What he could pay would never be enough

9to keep him from the grave,

to let him live for ever.

10Anyone can see that even the wise die,

as well as the foolish and stupid.

They all leave their riches to their descendants.

11Their graves49.11 Some ancient translations graves; Hebrew inner thoughts. are their homes for ever;

there they stay for all time,

though they once had lands of their own.

12No one's greatness can save him from death;

he will still die like the animals.

13See what happens to those who trust in themselves,

the fate of those49.13 One ancient translation the fate of those; Hebrew after them. who are satisfied with their wealth —

14they are doomed to die like sheep,

and Death will be their shepherd.

The righteous will triumph over them,

as their bodies quickly decay

in the world of the dead far from their homes.49.14 in… homes; Hebrew unclear.

15But God will rescue me;

he will save me from the power of death.

16Don't be upset when someone becomes rich,

when his wealth grows even greater;

17he cannot take it with him when he dies;

his wealth will not go with him to the grave.

18Even if he is satisfied with this life

and is praised because he is successful,

19he will join all his ancestors in death,

where the darkness lasts for ever.

20His greatness cannot save him from death;

he will still die like the animals.