Chapter 48

The folly of worldlings, who live in sin, without thinking of death or hell.

1. 1

   Unto the end, a psalm for the sons of Core.

2. 2

   Hear these things, all ye nations: give ear, all ye inhabitants of the world.

3. 3

   All you that are earth-born, and you sons of men: both rich and poor together.

4. 4

   My mouth shall speak wisdom: and the meditation of my heart understanding.

5. 5

   I will incline my ear to a parable; I will open my proposition on the psaltery.

6. 6

   Why shall I fear in the evil day? the iniquity of my heel shall encompass me.

7. 7

   They that trust in their own strength, and glory in the multitude of their riches,

8. 8

   No brother can redeem, nor shall man redeem: he shall not give to God his ransom;

9. 9

   Nor the price of the redemption of his soul: and shall labour for ever, 10 and shall still live unto the end.

10. 11

    He shall not see destruction, when he shall see the wise dying: the senseless and the fool shall perish together:

11. 13

    And man, when he was in honour, did not understand: he is compared to senseless beasts, and is become like to them.

12. 14

    This way of theirs is a stumbling-block to them: and afterwards they shall delight in their mouth.

13. 15

    They are laid in hell like sheep: death shall feed upon them.

14. 16

    But God will redeem my soul from the hand of hell, when he shall receive me.

15. 17

    Be not thou afraid, when a man shall be made rich, and when the glory of his house shall be increased.

16. 18

    For when he shall die, he shall take nothing away; nor shall his glory descend with him.

17. 19

    For in his life-time his soul will be blessed: and he will praise thee when thou shalt do well to him.

18. 20

    He shall go in to the generations of his fathers: and he shall never see light.

19. 21

    Man, when he was in honour, did not understand: he hath been compared to senseless beasts, and made like to them.