Psalms

Psalm 49:6–12

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.

¹¹Their graves^b are their eternal homes —

their dwellings for endless generations —

even though their lands were their namesakes.

¹²But a man, despite his wealth, cannot endure;

he is like the beasts that perish.

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

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Their graves	קִרְבָּ֤ם	qir·bām	Noun - masculine singular construct; third person masculine plural	H7130 inward part, midst
are their eternal	לְֽעוֹלָ֗ם	lə·‘ō·w·lām	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine singular	H5769 long duration, antiquity, futurity
homes	בָּתֵּ֨ימוֹ׀	bāt·tê·mōw	Noun - masculine plural construct; third person masculine plural	H1004 house
their dwellings	מִ֭שְׁכְּנֹתָם	miš·kə·nō·ṯām	Noun - masculine plural construct; third person masculine plural	H4908 dwelling-place, 'tabernacle'
for endless generations	לְדֹ֣ר	lə·ḏōr	Preposition-l; Noun - masculine singular	H1755 period, generation, dwelling
even though	עֲלֵ֣י	‘ă·lê	Preposition	H5921 height
lands	אֲדָמֽוֹת׃	’ă·ḏā·mō·wṯ	Noun - feminine plural	H127 ground, land
were their namesakes	קָֽרְא֥וּ	qā·rə·’ū	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural	H7121 call, proclaim, read

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
But a man	וְאָדָ֣ם	wə·’ā·ḏām	Conjunctive waw; Noun - masculine singular	H120 man, mankind
despite his wealth	בִּ֭יקָר	bî·qār	Preposition-b; Noun - masculine singular	H3366 preciousness, price, honour
cannot	בַּל־	bal-	Adverb	H1077 not
endure	יָלִ֑ין	yā·lîn	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular	H3885 lodge, pass the night
he is like	נִמְשַׁ֖ל	nim·šal	Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H4911 represent, be like
the beasts	כַּבְּהֵמ֣וֹת	kab·bə·hê·mō·wṯ	Preposition-k, Article; Noun - feminine plural	H929 beast, animal, cattle
that perish	נִדְמֽוּ׃	niḏ·mū	Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person common plural	H1820 cease, cause to cease, cut off, destroy