For the Chief Musician; a Psalm of the sons of Korah.
1Hear this, all ye peoples; give ear, all ye inhabitants of the world:
2BothH3605low and high, rich and poortogetherהָֽעַמִּ֑יםha.'a.MimH5971.
3My mouth shall speak wisdom; and the meditation of my heart shall be of understanding.
4I will incline mine ear to a parable: I will open my darksayingיְדַבֵּ֣רye.da.BerH1696upon the harp.
5Wherefore should I fear in the days of evil, when iniquity at my heels compasseth me about?
6They that trust in their wealth, and boastthemselvesעֲוֹ֖ן'a.VonH5771in the multitude of their riches;
7None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him:
8(For theredemptionH6299of their soul is costly, andmustH3808beletיִתֵּ֖ןyi.TenH5414alone for ever:)
9That he should still live alway, that he shouldnotוְחָדַ֥לve.cha.DalH2308see corruption.
10For he seeth that wise men die, the fool and the brutish together perish, and leave theirwealthלֹ֖אlo'H3808to others.
11Their inward thought is, that their houses shall continue for ever, and their dwelling places toallיַ֤חַדYa.chadH3162generations; they call their landsafterכִּ֤יkiH3588their own names.
12But man abideth not in honour: he is like the beasts that perish.
13This their way is their folly: yetafterכַּבְּהֵמ֣וֹתka.be.he.MotH929themmenוְאָדָ֣םve.'a.DamH120approve their sayings. Selah
14They are appointed as a flock for Sheol; death shall be their shepherd: and the upright shall have dominion over them in themorningזֶ֣הzehH2088; and their beauty shall be for Sheol to consume, that there be no habitation for it.
15But God will redeem my soul from the power ofSheolH7585: for he shall receive me. Selah
16BenotH3588thou afraid when one ismadeיִקָּחֵ֣נִיyi.ka.Che.niH3947rich, when the glory of his house is increased:
17For when he dieth he shall carrynothingH408away; hisgloryH3519shallnotH408descendafterH3588him.
18Thoughכִּ֤יkiH3588whileכִּֽי־ki-H3588helivedאַחֲרָ֣יו'a.cha.RavH310he blessed his soul, andmenהַכֹּ֑לha.KolH3605praiseכִּי־ki-H3588thee, when thou doest well to thyself,
19He shallgoתֵיטִ֥יבtei.TivH3190to the generation of his fathers; they shall never see the light.
20Manיִרְאוּ־yir.'u-H7200that is in honour, and understandethnotH3808, is like the beasts that perish.
Commentaries