Psalm XLIX

Heare this yee people, all yee people heare;
Listen to mee and giue attentiue eare,
All yee that in the world residinge bee,
Both rich and poore, of high and low degree:
My mouth shall vtter, and my heart deuise,
Matters of greatest skill, profound and wise.
Mine eares to parables will I encline,
And singe vnto my harpe, of things deuine.
Then why should I in ill times fearfull bee,
When mischeife at my heeles doth follow mee.
Howbeit, some doe in their riches trust,
And glory in their wealth, which is but dust;
Yet non from death his brother's life can stay,
Nor vnto GOD for Him a ransome pay.
For it cost more the soule of man to saue,
Then all the wealth is worth, which worldlyngs haue.
Nor may men hope to liue on earth for euer,
Though long they last, ere soule and body seuer.
That fooles and wise men die alike they finde,
And vnto strangers leaue their wealth behinde.
Their houses yet they thinke shall euer stand,
They giue their proper names vnto their land;
Yet noe man can in honnour euer bee,
But as the brute beast dies, euen so does hee.
This is their follie, this their stumblinge wayes;
And yet the children doe their fathers praise.
They are shut vp in graues as sheepe in folde,
And hungry Death feeds on their bodies cold,
The just shall rule them when the sunne doth rise,
With them their pride and beauty buried lies;
But God shall from Deathe's power my soule deliuer,
When Hee shall take it to Himselfe for euer.
Then let not feare and enuy thee surprize,
When thou seest men in wealth and honnour rise,
For to their graues they naught away shall beare,
Nor shall their glory waite vpon them there;
Yet they themselues thought happie all their dayes,
For him who helps himselfe others will praise:
As his forefathers all are gon before,
Soe shall hee die and see the light noe more.
Soe man on honnour little doth foresee,
But as brute beasts doe perish, soe dies hee.