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Psalms 49 from Scroll 4Q85 Psalmsc

For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by the sons of Korah.

Hear this, all you peoples.

Listen, all you inhabitants of the world,

both low and high,

rich and poor together.

My mouth will speak words of wisdom.

My heart shall utter understanding.

I will incline my ear to a proverb.

I will open my riddle on the harp.

Why should I fear in the days of evil,

when iniquity at my heels surrounds me?

Those who trust in their wealth,

and boast in the multitude of their riches—

none of them can by any means redeem his brother,

nor give God a ransom for him.

For the redemption of their life is costly,

no payment is ever enough,

that he should live on forever,

that he should not see corruption.

10 For he sees that wise men die;

likewise the fool and the senseless perish,

and leave their wealth to others.

11 Their inward thought is that their houses will endure forever,

and their dwelling places to all generations.

They name their lands after themselves.

12 But man, despite his riches, doesn’t endure understand.

He is like the animals that perish.

 

13 This is the destiny of those who are foolish,

and of those who approve their sayings.

Selah.

14 They are appointed as a flock for Sheol.

Death shall be their shepherd.

The upright shall have dominion over them in the morning.

Their beauty shall decay in Sheol,

far from their mansion.

15 But God will redeem my soul from the power of Sheol,

for he will receive me.

Selah.

16 Don’t be afraid when a man is made rich,

when the glory of his house is increased;

 

Psalms 49 from Scroll 4Q91 Psalmsj

5 Why should I fear in the days of evil,

when iniquity at my heels surrounds me?

[..]

8 For the redemption of their life is costly,

no payment is ever enough,

9 that he should live on forever,

that he should not see corruption.

10 For he sees that wise men die;

likewise the fool and the senseless perish,

and leave their wealth to others.

11 Their inward thought is that their houses will endure forever,

and their dwelling places to all generations.

They name their lands after themselves.

[..]

14 They are appointed as a flock for Sheol.

Death shall be their shepherd.

The upright shall have dominion over them in the morning.

Their beauty shall decay in Sheol,

far from their mansion.

[..]

16 Don’t be afraid when a man is made rich,

when the glory of his house is increased;

 

 

 

How to read these pages:

      The translation to the left is based on the World English Bible. Words in regular black font are words in the scrolls matching the traditional text for that passage.

      Words in italics cannot be seen in the scroll, since the scroll is fragmentary. These words are supplied for readability by the World English Bible translation.

      Words present in the scroll but with some letters unreadable or missing are in blue like this: blue. One Hebrew word often is translated into multiple English words, and when this occurs, all the English words are in blue.

      Words present in the scroll but with spelling differences that do not affect the meaning are in green like this: green. This is common in Hebrew.

      If the scroll is different from the traditional text, words in the traditional text that are missing from the text of the scroll are marked through in red like this: strike-through.

      If the scroll is different from the traditional text, words in the scroll that are not in the traditional text are underlined in red like this: new words.