Psalms

Psalm 49:6–10

⁶They trust in their wealth

and boast in their great riches.

⁷No man can possibly redeem his brother^a

or pay his ransom to God.

⁸For the redemption of his soul is costly,

and never can payment suffice,

⁹that he should live on forever

and not see decay.

¹⁰For it is clear that wise men die,

and the foolish and the senseless both perish

and leave their wealth to others.

Footnotes

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
They trust	הַבֹּטְחִ֥ים	hab·bō·ṭə·ḥîm	Article; Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural	H982 trust
in	עַל־	‘al-	Preposition	H5921 height
their wealth	חֵילָ֑ם	ḥê·lām	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine plural	H2428 strength, efficiency, wealth, army
and boast	יִתְהַלָּֽלוּ׃	yiṯ·hal·lā·lū	Verb - Hitpael - Imperfect - third person masculine plural	H1984 shine
in their great	וּבְרֹ֥ב	ū·ḇə·rōḇ	Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular construct	H7230 multitude, abundance, greatness
riches	עָ֝שְׁרָ֗ם	‘ā·šə·rām	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine plural	H6239 be or become rich

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
No	לֹא־	lō-	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
man	אִ֑ישׁ	’îš	Noun - masculine singular	H376 man
can possibly redeem	פָדֹ֣ה	p̄ā·ḏōh	Verb - Qal - Infinitive absolute	H6299 ransom
his brother	אָ֗ח	’āḥ	Noun - masculine singular	H251 brother
or	לֹא־	lō-	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
pay	יִתֵּ֖ן	yit·tên	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H5414 give, put, set
his ransom	כָּפְרֽוֹ׃	kā·p̄ə·rōw	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine singular	H3724 the price of a life, ransom
to God	לֵאלֹהִ֣ים	lê·lō·hîm	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine plural	H430 God

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
For the redemption	פִּדְי֥וֹן	piḏ·yō·wn	Noun - masculine singular construct	H6306 ransom
of his soul	נַפְשָׁ֗ם	nap̄·šām	Noun - feminine singular construct; third person masculine plural	H5315 soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, appetite, emotion, and passion
is costly	וְ֭יֵקַר	wə·yê·qar	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H3365 be precious, prized, appraised
and never	לְעוֹלָֽם׃	lə·‘ō·w·lām	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine singular	H5769 long duration, antiquity, futurity
can payment suffice	וְחָדַ֥ל	wə·ḥā·ḏal	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular	H2308 cease

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
that he should live on	וִֽיחִי־	wî·ḥî-	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect Jussive - third person masculine singular	H2421 live
forever	לָנֶ֑צַח	lā·ne·ṣaḥ	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine singular	H5331 eminence, enduring, everlastingness, perpetuity
and not	לֹ֖א	lō	Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
see	יִרְאֶ֣ה	yir·’eh	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H7200 see
decay	הַשָּֽׁחַת׃	haš·šā·ḥaṯ	Article; Noun - feminine singular	H7845 pit

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
For	כִּ֤י	kî	Conjunction	H3588 burning, branding
it is clear	יִרְאֶ֨ה׀	yir·’eh	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H7200 see
that wise	חֲכָ֘מִ֤ים	ḥă·ḵā·mîm	Adjective - masculine plural	H2450 wise
men die	יָמ֗וּתוּ	yā·mū·ṯū	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural	H4191 die
and the foolish	כְּסִ֣יל	kə·sîl	Noun - masculine singular	H3684 stupid fellow, dullard, fool
and the senseless	וָבַ֣עַר	wā·ḇa·‘ar	Conjunctive waw; Adjective - masculine singular	H1198 brutishness
both	יַ֤חַד	ya·ḥaḏ	Adverb	H3162 unitedness
perish	יֹאבֵ֑דוּ	yō·ḇê·ḏū	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural	H6 perish
and leave	וְעָזְב֖וּ	wə·‘ā·zə·ḇū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural	H5800 leave, forsake, loose
their wealth	חֵילָֽם׃	ḥê·lām	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine plural	H2428 strength, efficiency, wealth, army
to others	לַאֲחֵרִ֣ים	la·’ă·ḥê·rîm	Preposition-l; Adjective - masculine plural	H312 another