תהילים פרק מ״ט

לַמְנַצֵּחַ לִבְנֵי־קֹרַח מִזְמוֹר׃

Lamnatzei'ach livnei Korach mizmor.

For the leader. Of the Korahites. A psalm.

שִׁמְעוּ־זֹאת כָּל־הָעַמִּים הַאֲזִינוּ כָּל־יֹשְׁבֵי חָלֶד׃

Shim'u zot kol ha'amim, ha'azinu kol yoshvei chaled.

Hear this, all you peoples; give ear, all inhabitants of the world,

גַּם־בְּנֵי אָדָם גַּם־בְּנֵי־אִישׁ יַחַד עָשִׁיר וְאֶבְיוֹן׃

Gam benei adam gam benei ish, yachad ashir ve'evyon.

men of all estates, rich and poor alike.

פִּי יְדַבֵּר חָכְמוֹת וְהָגוּת לִבִּי תְבוּנוֹת׃

Pi yedaber chochmot, vehagut libi tevunot.

My mouth utters wisdom, my heart's thoughts are understanding.

אַטֶּה לְמָשָׁל אָזְנִי אֶפְתַּח בְּכִנּוֹר חִידָתִי׃

Ate lemashal ozni, eftach bechinor chidati.

I will turn my attention to a theme, disclosing my theme to the tune of a lyre.

לָמָּה אִירָא בִּימֵי רָע עֲוֺן עֲקֵבַי יְסוּבֵּנִי׃

Lama ira bimei ra, avon akevai yesuveni.

In time of trouble, why should I fear the encompassing evil of those who would supplant me—

הַבֹּטְחִים עַל־חֵילָם וּבְרֹב עָשְׁרָם יִתְהַלָּלוּ׃

Habotchim al cheilam, uverov oshram yithalalu.

men who trust in their riches, who glory in their great wealth?

אָח לֹא פָדֹה יִפְדֶּה אִישׁ לֹא־יִתֵּן לֵאלֹהִים כָּפְרוֹ׃

Ach lo fado yifde ish, lo yiten lElohim kofro.

Ah, it cannot redeem a man, or pay his ransom to God;

וְיֵקַר פִּדְיוֹן נַפְשָׁם וְחָדַל לְעוֹלָם׃

Veyekar pidyon nafsham, vechadal le'olam.

the price of life is too high; and so one ceases to be, forever.

וִיחִי־עוֹד לָנֶצַח לֹא יִרְאֶה הַשָּׁחַת׃

Vichi od lanetzach, lo yir'eh hashachat.

Shall he live eternally, and never see the grave?

כִּי יִרְאֶה חֲכָמִים יָמוּתוּ יַחַד כְּסִיל וָבַעַר יֹאבֵדוּ וְעָזְבוּ לַאֲחֵרִים חֵילָם׃

Ki yir'eh chachamim yamutu, yachad kesil uva'ar yovedu, ve'azvu la'acherim cheilam.

For one sees that the wise die, that the fool and the ignorant both perish, leaving their wealth to others.

קִרְבָּם בָּתֵּימוֹ לְעוֹלָם מִשְׁכְּנֹתָם לְדֹר וָדֹר קָרְאוּ בִשְׁמוֹתָם עֲלֵי אֲדָמוֹת׃

Kirbam batemo le'olam, mishkenotam ledor vador, kar'u vishmotam alei adamot.

Their grave is their eternal home, the dwelling-place for all generations of those once famous on earth.

וְאָדָם בִּיקָר בַּל־יָלִין נִמְשַׁל כַּבְּהֵמוֹת נִדְמוּ׃

Ve'adam bikar bal yalin, nimshal kabehemot nidmu.

Man does not abide in honor; he is like the beasts that perish.

זֶה דַרְכָּם כֵּסֶל לָמוֹ וְאַחֲרֵיהֶם בְּפִיהֶם יִרְצוּ סֶלָה׃

Ze darkam kesel lamo, ve'achareihem befihem yirtzu, sela.

Such is the fate of those who are self-confident, the end of those pleased with their own talk. Selah.

כַּצֹּאן לִשְׁאוֹל שַׁתּוּ מָוֶת יִרְעֵם וַיִּרְדּוּ בָם יְשָׁרִים לַבֹּקֶר וְצוּרָם לְבַלּוֹת שְׁאוֹל מִזְּבֻל לוֹ׃

Katzon lish'ol shatu, mavet yir'em, vayirdu vam yesharim laboker, vetzuram levalot she'ol mizevu lo.

Sheeplike they head for Sheol, with Death as their shepherd. The upright shall rule over them at daybreak, and their form shall waste away in Sheol till its glory is gone.

אַךְ־אֱלֹהִים יִפְדֶּה נַפְשִׁי מִיַּד־שְׁאוֹל כִּי יִקָּחֵנִי סֶלָה׃

Ach Elohim yifde nafshi miyad she'ol, ki yikacheni, sela.

But God will redeem my life from the clutches of Sheol, for He will take me. Selah.

אַל־תִּירָא כִּי־יַעֲשִׁר אִישׁ כִּי־יִרְבֶּה כְּבוֹד בֵּיתוֹ׃

Al tira ki ya'ashir ish, ki yirbe kevod beito.

Do not be afraid when a man becomes rich, when his household goods increase;

כִּי לֹא בְמוֹתוֹ יִקַּח הַכֹּל לֹא־יֵרֵד אַחֲרָיו כְּבוֹדוֹ׃

Ki lo vemoto yikach hakol, lo yered acharav kevodo.

for when he dies he can take nothing along; his goods cannot follow him down.

כִּי־נַפְשׁוֹ בְּחַיָּיו יְבָרֵךְ וְיוֹדֻךָ כִּי־תֵיטִיב לָךְ׃

Ki nafsho bechayav yevarech, veyoducha ki teitiv lach.

Though he congratulates himself in his lifetime—"They must admit that you did well by yourself"—

תָּבוֹא עַד־דּוֹר אֲבוֹתָיו עַד־נֵצַח לֹא יִרְאוּ־אוֹר׃

Tavo ad dor avotav, ad netzach lo yir'u or.

yet he must join the company of his ancestors, who will never see daylight again.

אָדָם בִּיקָר וְלֹא יָבִין נִמְשַׁל כַּבְּהֵמוֹת נִדְמוּ׃

Adam bikar velo yavin, nimshal kabehemot nidmu.

Man who has riches but lacks understanding is like the beasts that perish.