Dee 49 Psalm

To dän Haupt Musikaunt, en Psalm fa dee Korah Säns.

Horjcht no dit, jie gaunse Welt; horjcht aul jie dee enne Welt wone.

Beides Mensche Saens un Mensche Kjinje, rikj un oam toop:

Mien Mul saul Weisheit räde, un dee Jedankje enn mien Hoat sele Festentnis jäwe.

Ekj woa mien Ua dol beaje to en Jlikjnes; ekj woa mien diestret Räde op moake opp ne Haop.

Wuaromm sull ekj mie enn dee Doag ferjchte wan Beeset kjemt, wan daut Gottlooset kjemt fonn dän dee mie ommrinje?

Soone dee enn äa Rikjdom fetruehe, un enn äa Hab un Goot, doone sikj puche.

En Maun kaun sien Brooda nijch rade, oda Leesjelt to Gott jäwe fa am –

dan dee Radunk fa äare Seel es kjestlijch, un daut deit fa emma oppheare –

dan hee woat doch fa emma läwe; hee woat niemols Fewäsunk seene.

10 Dan dee seeha Weise stoawe, dee Noa un dee soo aus en Tia sent kome toop omm, un lote äa Rikjdom to aundre.

11 Äare ennalijche Jedanke sent daut äare Hiesa emma bliewe woare, un äare Woninj to aule Jeschaljchte; see nane äare Lenda no äare eajne Nomes.

12 Oba dee Mensch saul nijch enn Ea bliewe: hee es soo aus dee Tiare, dee sele ommkome.

13 Dit es dee Noarische äa Wajch, un doch woare soone en Fejneaje ha dee an nofolje.

14 Dee woare bestemmt to dän Doot, dee Doot woat äwa an rejeare; un dee Opprajchte woare äwa an aum Morje rejeare; äa Form es fa fefule, daut Grauf es sien Heim.

15 Oba Gott woat miene Seel fonn daut Grauf rade, dan Hee woat mie näme. Selah.

16 Ha nijch Angst wan doa wäa Rikj woat, wan dee Harlijchkjeit fonn sien Hus toonemmt;

17 Dan wan hee stoaft, woat hee nuscht met näme, siene Harlijchkjeit woat nijch met am met gone.

18 Dan wäarent hee läft, deit hee siene Seel säajne – jo, Mensche doone die preise wan du goot deist fa die selfst-

19 Hee woat no dee Jeschlajchte fonn siene Fodasch gone; dee woare niemols Lijcht seene.

20 En Mensch dee huach enn Ea es, oba nijch Festentnis haft, es soo aus dee Tiare, dee woare feschwinje.

Psalm 49[a]

For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. A psalm.

Hear(A) this, all you peoples;(B)
    listen, all who live in this world,(C)
both low and high,(D)
    rich and poor alike:
My mouth will speak words of wisdom;(E)
    the meditation of my heart will give you understanding.(F)
I will turn my ear to a proverb;(G)
    with the harp(H) I will expound my riddle:(I)

Why should I fear(J) when evil days come,
    when wicked deceivers surround me—
those who trust in their wealth(K)
    and boast(L) of their great riches?(M)
No one can redeem the life of another
    or give to God a ransom for them—
the ransom(N) for a life is costly,
    no payment is ever enough—(O)
so that they should live on(P) forever
    and not see decay.(Q)
10 For all can see that the wise die,(R)
    that the foolish and the senseless(S) also perish,
    leaving their wealth(T) to others.(U)
11 Their tombs(V) will remain their houses[b] forever,
    their dwellings for endless generations,(W)
    though they had[c] named(X) lands after themselves.

12 People, despite their wealth, do not endure;(Y)
    they are like the beasts that perish.(Z)

13 This is the fate of those who trust in themselves,(AA)
    and of their followers, who approve their sayings.[d]
14 They are like sheep and are destined(AB) to die;(AC)
    death will be their shepherd
    (but the upright will prevail(AD) over them in the morning).
Their forms will decay in the grave,
    far from their princely mansions.
15 But God will redeem me from the realm of the dead;(AE)
    he will surely take me to himself.(AF)
16 Do not be overawed when others grow rich,
    when the splendor of their houses increases;
17 for they will take nothing(AG) with them when they die,
    their splendor will not descend with them.(AH)
18 Though while they live they count themselves blessed—(AI)
    and people praise you when you prosper—
19 they will join those who have gone before them,(AJ)
    who will never again see the light(AK) of life.

20 People who have wealth but lack understanding(AL)
    are like the beasts that perish.(AM)

Footnotes

  1. Psalm 49:1 In Hebrew texts 49:1-20 is numbered 49:2-21.
  2. Psalm 49:11 Septuagint and Syriac; Hebrew In their thoughts their houses will remain
  3. Psalm 49:11 Or generations, / for they have
  4. Psalm 49:13 The Hebrew has Selah (a word of uncertain meaning) here and at the end of verse 15.