The One Thing Money Can't Buy.

לַמְנַצֵּ֬חַ׀ לִבְנֵי־קֹ֬רַח מִזְמֽוֹר׃

Hear this, all peoples! Give ear, all inhabitants of the world,

שִׁמְעוּ־זֹ֭את כָּל־הָֽעַמִּ֑ים הַ֝אֲזִ֗ינוּ כָּל־יֹ֥שְׁבֵי חָֽלֶד׃

[2] both low and high, rich and poor together!

גַּם־בְּנֵ֣י אָ֭דָם גַּם־בְּנֵי־אִ֑ישׁ יַ֝֗חַד עָשִׁ֥יר וְאֶבְיֽוֹן׃

[3] My mouth shall speak wisdom; the meditation of my heart shall be understanding.

פִּ֭י יְדַבֵּ֣ר חָכְמ֑וֹת וְהָג֖וּת לִבִּ֣י תְבוּנֽוֹת׃

[4] I will incline my ear to a proverb; I will solve my riddle to the music of the lyre.

אַטֶּ֣ה לְמָשָׁ֣ל אָזְנִ֑י אֶפְתַּ֥ח בְּ֝כִנּ֗וֹר חִידָתִֽי׃

[5] Why should I fear in times of trouble, when the iniquity of those who cheat me surrounds me,

לָ֣מָּה אִ֭ירָא בִּ֣ימֵי רָ֑ע עֲוֺ֖ן עֲקֵבַ֣י יְסוּבֵּֽנִי׃

[6] those who trust in their wealth and boast of the abundance of their riches?

הַבֹּטְחִ֥ים עַל־חֵילָ֑ם וּבְרֹ֥ב עָ֝שְׁרָ֗ם יִתְהַלָּֽלוּ׃

[7] Truly no man can ransom another, or give to God the price of his life,

אָ֗ח לֹא־פָדֹ֣ה יִפְדֶּ֣ה אִ֑ישׁ לֹא־יִתֵּ֖ן לֵאלֹהִ֣ים כָּפְרֽוֹ׃

[8] for the ransom of their life is costly and can never suffice,

וְ֭יֵקַר פִּדְי֥וֹן נַפְשָׁ֗ם וְחָדַ֥ל לְעוֹלָֽם׃

[9] that he should live on forever and never see the pit.

וִֽיחִי־ע֥וֹד לָנֶ֑צַח לֹ֖א יִרְאֶ֣ה הַשָּֽׁחַת׃

[10] For he sees that even the wise die; the fool and the stupid alike must perish and leave their wealth to others.

כִּ֤י יִרְאֶ֨ה׀ חֲכָ֘מִ֤ים יָמ֗וּתוּ יַ֤חַד כְּסִ֣יל וָבַ֣עַר יֹאבֵ֑דוּ וְעָזְב֖וּ לַאֲחֵרִ֣ים חֵילָֽם׃

[11] Their graves are their homes forever, their dwelling places to all generations, though they called lands by their own names.

קִרְבָּ֤ם בָּתֵּ֨ימוֹ׀ לְֽעוֹלָ֗ם מִ֭שְׁכְּנֹתָם לְדֹ֣ר וָדֹ֑ר קָֽרְא֥וּ בִ֝שְׁמוֹתָ֗ם עֲלֵ֣י אֲדָמֽוֹת׃

[12] Man in his pomp will not remain; he is like the beasts that perish.

וְאָדָ֣ם בִּ֭יקָר בַּל־יָלִ֑ין נִמְשַׁ֖ל כַּבְּהֵמ֣וֹת נִדְמֽוּ׃

[13] This is the path of those who have foolish confidence; yet after them people approve of their boasts. Selah

זֶ֣ה דַ֭רְכָּם כֵּ֣סֶל לָ֑מוֹ וְאַחֲרֵיהֶ֓ם׀ בְּפִיהֶ֖ם יִרְצ֣וּ סֶֽלָה׃

[14] Like sheep they are appointed for Sheol; death shall be their shepherd, and the upright shall rule over them in the morning. Their form shall be consumed in Sheol, with no place to dwell.

כַּצֹּ֤אן׀ לִֽשְׁא֣וֹל שַׁתּוּ֮ מָ֤וֶת יִ֫רְעֵ֥ם וַיִּרְדּ֘וּ בָ֤ם יְשָׁרִ֨ים׀ לַבֹּ֗קֶר ׳וְצִירָם׳ ״וְ֭צוּרָם״ לְבַלּ֥וֹת שְׁא֗וֹל מִזְּבֻ֥ל לֽוֹ׃

[15] But God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol, for he will receive me. Selah

אַךְ־אֱלֹהִ֗ים יִפְדֶּ֣ה נַ֭פְשִׁי מִֽיַּד־שְׁא֑וֹל כִּ֖י יִקָּחֵ֣נִי סֶֽלָה׃

[16] Be not afraid when a man becomes rich, when the glory of his house increases.

אַל־תִּ֭ירָא כִּֽי־יַעֲשִׁ֣ר אִ֑ישׁ כִּֽי־יִ֝רְבֶּה כְּב֣וֹד בֵּיתֽוֹ׃

[17] For when he dies he will carry nothing away; his glory will not go down after him.

כִּ֤י לֹ֣א בְ֭מוֹתוֹ יִקַּ֣ח הַכֹּ֑ל לֹא־יֵרֵ֖ד אַחֲרָ֣יו כְּבוֹדֽוֹ׃

[18] For though, while he lives, he counts himself blessed— and though you get praise when you do well for yourself—

כִּֽי־נַ֭פְשׁוֹ בְּחַיָּ֣יו יְבָרֵ֑ךְ וְ֝יוֹדֻ֗ךָ כִּי־תֵיטִ֥יב לָֽךְ׃

[19] his soul will go to the generation of his fathers, who will never again see light.

תָּ֭בוֹא עַד־דּ֣וֹר אֲבוֹתָ֑יו עַד־נֵ֝֗צַח לֹ֣א יִרְאוּ־אֽוֹר׃

[20] Man in his pomp yet without understanding is like the beasts that perish.

אָדָ֣ם בִּ֭יקָר וְלֹ֣א יָבִ֑ין נִמְשַׁ֖ל כַּבְּהֵמ֣וֹת נִדְמֽוּ׃