New International Version
People, despite their wealth, do not endure; they are like the beasts that perish.
New Living Translation
but their fame will not last. They will die, just like animals.
English Standard Version
Man in his pomp will not remain; he is like the beasts that perish.
New American Standard Bible
But man in his pomp will not endure; He is like the beasts that perish.
King James Bible
Nevertheless man being in honour abideth not: he is like the beasts that perish.
Holman Christian Standard Bible
But despite his assets, man will not last; he is like the animals that perish.
International Standard Version
But humanity cannot last, despite its conceit; it will pass away just like the animals.
but, despite their wealth, people do not last, they are like animals that perish.
Aramaic Bible in Plain English
A man is not sustained in his honor, but ends up an animal, and resembles one.
GOD'S WORD® Translation
But mortals will not continue here with what they treasure. They are like animals that die.
Jubilee Bible 2000
Nevertheless man will not abide forever in honour; he is like the beasts that are cut off.
King James 2000 Bible
Nevertheless man being in honor abides not: he is like the beasts that perish.
American King James Version
Nevertheless man being in honor stays not: he is like the beasts that perish.
American Standard Version
But man being in honor abideth not: He is like the beasts that perish.
And man when he was in honour did not understand; he is compared to senseless beasts, and is become like to them.
Darby Bible Translation
Nevertheless, man being in honour abideth not: he is like the beasts that perish.
English Revised Version
But man abideth not in honour: he is like the beasts that perish.
Webster's Bible Translation
Nevertheless man being in honor abideth not: he is like the beasts that perish.
World English Bible
But man, despite his riches, doesn't endure. He is like the animals that perish.
Young's Literal Translation
And man in honour doth not remain, He hath been like the beasts, they have been cut off.
Parallel CommentariesMatthew Henry's Concise Commentary
49:6-14 Here is a description of the spirit and way of worldly people. A man may have wealth, and may have his heart enlarged in love, thankfulness, and obedience, and may do good with it. Therefore it is not men's having riches that proves them to be worldly, but their setting their hearts upon them as the best things. Worldly men have only some floating thoughts of the things of God, while their fixed thoughts, their inward thoughts, are about the world; that lies nearest the heart. But with all their wealth they cannot save the life of the dearest friend they have. This looks further, to the eternal redemption to be wrought out by the Messiah. The redemption of the soul shall cost very dear; but, being once wrought, it shall never need to be repeated. And he, the Redeemer, shall rise again before he sees corruption, and then shall live for evermore, Re 1:18. This likewise shows the folly of worldly people, who sell their souls for that which will never buy them. With all their wealth they cannot secure themselves from the stroke of death. Yet one generation after another applaud their maxims; and the character of a fool, as drawn by heavenly Wisdom itself, Lu 12:16-21, continues to be followed even among professed Christians. Death will ask the proud sinner, Where is thy wealth, thy pomp? And in the morning of the resurrection, when all that sleep in the dust shall awake, the upright shall be advanced to the highest honour, when the wicked shall be filled with everlasting shame and contempt, Da 12:2. Let us now judge of things as they will appear in that day. The beauty of holiness is that alone which the grave cannot touch, or damage.
Verse 12. - Nevertheless man being in honour abideth not. Against these" inward thoughts" and outward actions, the psalmist simply maintains the ground already taken (ver. 10): "Man, in whatever honour he may be, abideth not" - has but a short time to live. He is like the beasts that perish. He has no more continuance than many of the beasts; like them, he passes from earth.
Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible
Nevertheless man being in honour abideth not,.... Or Adam: and some understand this of the first man Adam, who was created and crowned with glory and honour; but it did not abide with him, nor he in that: so some Jewish writers (y) interpret it. But whether the words will admit of this sense or not, the general view of the psalmist, which is to show the inconstancy and instability of worldly honour, may be exemplified in the case of the first man; he was in honour he was created after the image and likeness of God, and so was the glory of God, being his image; he was in friendship with God, as many instances show, and had dominion over all the creatures below; he had much knowledge of God, and communion with him, and was a pure, holy, and upright creature; but he continued not long in this state of honour and glory; "he lodged not a night" (z), as the words may be rendered; see Genesis 28:11; and as they are by some, who conclude from hence that Adam fell the same day in which he was created; and which is the sense of the above Jewish writers, who say, he was driven out of paradise the evening of that day; but though he might stand longer, and the word is sometimes used of a longer continuance; see Psalm 25:13; yet by the account in Genesis it looks as if he continued in his state of honour but a short time;
he is like the beasts that perish; becoming mortal in his body, and brutish and stupid in his understanding. Or, "he is like the beasts", "they perish", or "are cut off" (a); the word being in the plural number, which shows that not a single individual person is meant, but men in general; or, however, such of the sons of Adam that come to honour; these do not abide long in it, their honour is a very short lived one, sometimes it does not last their lives: they that are in high places are in slippery ones, and are often cast down from the pinnacle of honour in a moment; and if their glory does abide with them throughout the day of life, yet it shall not lodge with them in the night of the grave; thither their glory shall not descend after them, Psalm 49:17; and when they die, they perish like the beasts; as they are like them in life, stupid, brutish, and ignorant, so in death; as the beast dies, so do they, Ecclesiastes 3:19; as the one dies without any thought of or preparation for death, so do the other; as the one carries nothing along with it, so neither do the other: as beasts that die of themselves, for such are here meant, as Junius well observes, are good for nothing but to be cast into the ditch; so are wicked men, notwithstanding all their riches and honours; yea, it is worse with them than with the beasts, since after death comes judgment, and after that the second death, the wrath of God.
(y) Bereshit Rabba, s. 11. fol. 9. 1. 2. Pirke Eliezer, c. 19. (z) "non pernoctabit", Montanus, Amama; so Ainsworth. (a) "excisi sunt", Montanus.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
12. Contrasted with this vanity is their frailty. However honored, man
abideth not—literally, "lodgeth not," remains not till morning, but suddenly perishes as (wild) beasts, whose lives are taken without warning.
Psalm 49:12 Additional Commentaries
God will Redeem my Life from the Grave
…11Their inner thought is that their houses are forever And their dwelling places to all generations; They have called their lands after their own names. 12But man in his pomp will not endure; He is like the beasts that perish. 13This is the way of those who are foolish, And of those after them who approve their words. Selah.…
People who have wealth but lack understanding are like the beasts that perish.
But you will die like mere mortals; you will fall like every other ruler."
I also said to myself, "As for humans, God tests them so that they may see that they are like the animals.
Surely the fate of human beings is like that of the animals; the same fate awaits them both: As one dies, so dies the other. All have the same breath; humans have no advantage over animals. Everything is meaningless.
Treasury of Scripture
Nevertheless man being in honor stays not: he is like the beasts that perish.
abideth. The word yalin, rendered abideth, signifies to lodge for a night. Man's continuance in the world, or in honour or distinction, resembles a traveller's lodging at an inn, whence he removes in the morning; and is frequently far more transient and evanescent.
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Alphabetical: beasts But despite does endure he his in is like man not perish pomp riches that the will
OT Poetry: Psalm 49:12 But man despite his riches doesn't endure (Psalm Ps Psa.) Christian Bible Study Resources, Dictionary, Concordance and Search Tools