Psalm 49In Hebrew texts 49:1-20 is numbered 49:2-21.
For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm.
1Hear this, all you peoples;
listen, all who live in this world,
2both low and high,
rich and poor alike:
3My mouth will speak words of wisdom;
the meditation of my heart will give you understanding.
4I will turn my ear to a proverb;
with the harp I will expound my riddle:
5Why should I fear when evil days come,
when wicked deceivers surround me—
6those who trust in their wealth
and boast of their great riches?
7No one can redeem the life of another
or give to God a ransom for them—
8the ransom for a life is costly,
no payment is ever enough—
9so that they should live on forever
and not see decay.
10For all can see that the wise die,
that the foolish and the senseless also perish,
leaving their wealth to others.
11Their tombs will remain their houses49:11 Septuagint and Syriac; Hebrew In their thoughts their houses will remain forever,
their dwellings for endless generations,
though they had49:11 Or generations, / for they have named lands after themselves.
12People, despite their wealth, do not endure;
they are like the beasts that perish.
13This is the fate of those who trust in themselves,
and of their followers, who approve their sayings.49:13 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 15.
14They are like sheep and are destined to die;
death will be their shepherd
(but the upright will prevail over them in the morning).
Their forms will decay in the grave,
far from their princely mansions.
15But God will redeem me from the realm of the dead;
he will surely take me to himself.
16Do not be overawed when others grow rich,
when the splendor of their houses increases;
17for they will take nothing with them when they die,
their splendor will not descend with them.
18Though while they live they count themselves blessed—
and people praise you when you prosper—
19they will join those who have gone before them,
who will never again see the light of life.
20People who have wealth but lack understanding
are like the beasts that perish.
Dwom 49
Koramma dwom.
1Muntie, mo saa nnipa yi nyinaa;
monyɛ aso, mo a mowɔ wiase yi mu nyinaa,
2nea ɔyɛ abomfiaa ne nea odi mu,
adefo ne ahiafo nyinaa.
3Mʼano bɛka anyansasɛm;
nsɛm a efi me koma mu bɛma nhumu.
4Mɛbrɛ mʼaso ase atie mmebusɛm;
na sanku na mede bɛkyerɛ mʼabisae ase.
5Adɛn nti na ɛsɛ sɛ misuro, bere a nna bɔne aba,
bere a amumɔyɛfo nnaadaafo atwa me ho ahyia,
6wɔn a wɔde wɔn ho to wɔn ahonya so
na wɔde wɔn ade dodow hoahoa wɔn ho?
7Onipa biara rentumi nnye ne yɔnko nkwa
na ɔrentumi mfa mpata biara mma Onyankopɔn,
8nkwa ho mpata bo yɛ den,
akatua biara renso,
9sɛ ɛbɛma no atena ase afebɔɔ
a ɔrenhu porɔwee.
10Obiara nim pefee sɛ anyansafo wu;
saa ara na nkwaseafo ne agyimifo nso wu,
na wogyaw wɔn ahonya hɔ ma afoforo.
11Wɔn nna bɛyɛ wɔn afi afebɔɔ,
wɔn atenae wɔ awo ntoatoaso bere a enni awiei mu,
ɛmfa ho sɛ wɔde wɔn din atoto nsase so.
12Na onipa ahonya nyinaa akyi no, ɔrentena hɔ daa;
ɔte sɛ mmoa a wowu no ara.
13Eyi ne nea ɛda hɔ ma wɔn a wogye wɔn ho di,
ne wɔn akyidifo a wɔfoa wɔn nsɛm so.
14Wɔte sɛ nguan, na wɔbɛkɔ ɔda mu,
na owu de wɔn bɛyɛ nʼaduan.
Atreneefo bedi wɔn so anɔpa;
wɔn nipadua bɛporɔw wɔ ɔda mu,
na wɔne wɔn adan akɛse no ntam akwan bɛware.
15Nanso Onyankopɔn begye me afi ɔda mu;
ampa ara, ɔde me bɛkɔ ne nkyɛn.
16Sɛ onipa nya ne ho a, mma ɛnnhaw wo;
na sɛ ne fi anigye yɛ bebree a, mma ɛnnhaw wo;
17efisɛ, sɛ owu a ɔremmfa hwee nkɔ,
nʼanuonyam ne no renkɔ amoa mu.
18Mpo ɔte ase no, ɔfaa no sɛ wɔahyira no,
efisɛ wɔkamfo nnipa bere a wodi yiye,
19nanso ɔbɛkɔ akɔka nʼagyanom ho,
wɔn a wɔrenhu nkwa hann ara da no.
20Onipa a ɔwɔ ahonya na onni nhumu no
te sɛ mmoa a wowu.
