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The Book of Psalms

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- Chapter 49 -

The transience of wealth

(Ecclesiastes 5:8-20)
1
For the chief musician. A psalm of the sons of Korah. Hear this, all you peoples; give ear, all you inhabitants of the world,
2
both low and high, rich and poor together.
3
My mouth will speak wisdom and the meditation of my heart will be of understanding.
4
I will incline my ear to a parable; I will begin my parable with the harp.
5
Why should I fear the days of evil, when iniquity surrounds me at my heels?
6
Why should I fear those who trust in their wealth and boast about the amount of their riches?
7
It is certain that no one can redeem his brother or give God a ransom for him.
8
For the redemption of one’s life is costly, and no one can pay what we owe.
9
No one can live forever so that his body should not decay.
10
For he will see decay. Wise men die; the fool and the brute alike perish and leave their wealth to others.
11
Their inner thought is that their families will continue forever, and the places where they live, to all generations; they call their lands after their own names.
12
But man, having wealth, does not remain alive; he is like the beasts that perish.
13
This, their way, is their folly; yet after them, men approve of their sayings. Selah.
14
Like sheep they are appointed for Sheol, and death will be their shepherd. The upright will rule over them in the morning, and their bodies will be consumed in Sheol, with no place for them to live.
15
But God will redeem my life from the power of Sheol; he will receive me. Selah.
16
Do not be afraid when one becomes rich, and the glory of his house increases.
17
For when he dies he will take nothing away; his glory will not go down after him.
18
He blessed his soul while he lived-and men praise you when you live for yourself-
19
he will go to the generation of his fathers and they will never see the light again.
20
One who has wealth but no understanding is like the beasts, which perish.
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The transience of wealth

(Ecclesiastes 5:8-20)
1
Hear this, all you peoples. Listen, all you inhabitants of the world,
2
both low and high, rich and poor together.
3
My mouth will speak words of wisdom. My heart will utter understanding.
4
I will incline my ear to a proverb. I will solve my riddle on the harp.
5
Why should I fear in the days of evil, when iniquity at my heels surrounds me?
6
Those who trust in their wealth, and boast in the multitude of their riches—
7
none of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give God a ransom for him.
8
For the redemption of their life is costly, no payment is ever enough,
9
that he should live on forever, that he should not see corruption.
10
For he sees that wise men die; likewise the fool and the senseless perish, and leave their wealth to others.
11
Their inward thought is that their houses will endure forever, and their dwelling places to all generations. They name their lands after themselves.
12
But man, despite his riches, doesn’t endure. He is like the animals that perish.
13
This is the destiny of those who are foolish, and of those who approve their sayings. Selah.
14
They are appointed as a flock for Sheol.(a) Death shall be their shepherd. The upright shall have dominion over them in the morning. Their beauty shall decay in Sheol,(b) far from their mansion.
15
But God will redeem my soul from the power of Sheol,(c) for he will receive me. Selah.
16
Don’t be afraid when a man is made rich, when the glory of his house is increased;
17
for when he dies he will carry nothing away. His glory won’t descend after him.
18
Though while he lived he blessed his soul— and men praise you when you do well for yourself—
19
he shall go to the generation of his fathers. They shall never see the light.
20
A man who has riches without understanding, is like the animals that perish.

Footnotes

(a)49:14 Sheol is the place of the dead.
(b)49:14 Sheol is the place of the dead.
(c)49:15 Sheol is the place of the dead.
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