Psalm 49. Audite haec, omnes.

1. O HEAR ye this, all ye people; *
   ponder it with your ears, all ye that dwell in the world;
2. High and low, rich and poor, *
   one with another.
3. My mouth shall speak of wisdom, *
   and my heart shall muse of understanding.
4. I will incline mine ear to the parable, *
   and show my dark speech upon the harp.
5. Wherefore should I fear in the days of evil, *
   when wickedness at my heels compasseth me round about?
6. There be some that put their trust in their goods, *
   and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches.
7. But no man may deliver his brother, *
   nor give a ransom unto God for him,
8. (For it cost more to redeem their souls, *
   so that he must let that alone for ever;)
9. That he shall live alway, *
   and not see the grave.
10. For he seeth that wise men also die and perish together, *
    as well as the ignorant and foolish, and leave their riches for other.
11. And yet they think that their houses shall continue for ever, and that their dwelling-places shall endure from one generation to another; *
    and call the lands after their own names.
12. Nevertheless, man being in honour abideth not, *
    seeing he may be compared unto the beasts that perish;
13. This their way is very foolishness; *
    yet their posterity praise their saying.
14. They lie in the grave like sheep; death is their shepherd; and the righteous shall have dominion over them in the morning: *
    their beauty shall consume in the sepulchre, and have no abiding.
15. But God hath delivered my soul from the power of the grave; *
    for he shall receive me.
16. Be not thou afraid, though one be made rich, *
    or if the glory of his house be increased;
17. For he shall carry nothing away with him when he dieth, *
    neither shall his pomp follow him.
18. For while he lived, he counted himself an happy man; *
    and so long as thou doest well unto thyself, men will speak good of thee.
19. He shall follow the generation of his fathers, *
    and shall never see light.
20. Man that is in honour but hath no understanding *
    is compared unto the beasts that perish.