Psalms 49:8

(the ransom price for a human life ¹  is too high, and people go to their final destiny), ² 

the ransom for a life is costly, no payment is ever enough—

For the redemption of his soul is costly, And he should cease trying forever—

Redemption does not come so easily, for no one can ever pay enough

The cost of rescue is beyond our means, and even then it doesn't guarantee

(Because it takes a great price to keep his soul from death, and man is not able to give it.)

For the ransom of life is costly, and can never suffice

For the redemption of their souls is costly, And it shall cease forever––

(the ransom price for a human life ¹  is too high, and people go to their final destiny), ² 

¹ tn Heb “their life.” Some emend the text to “his life,” understanding the antecedent of the pronoun as “brother” in v. 7. However, the man and brother of v. 7 are representative of the human race in general, perhaps explaining why a plural pronoun appears in v. 8. Of course, the plural pronoun could refer back to “the rich” mentioned in v. 6. Another option (the one assumed in the translation) is that the suffixed mem is enclitic. In this case the “ransom price for human life” is referred to an abstract, general way.

² tn Heb “and one ceases forever.” The translation assumes an indefinite subject which in turn is representative of the entire human race (“one,” that refers to human beings without exception). The verb חָדַל (khadal, “cease”) is understood in the sense of “come to an end; fail” (i.e., die). Another option is to translate, “and one ceases/refrains forever.” In this case the idea is that the living, convinced of the reality of human mortality, give up all hope of “buying off” God and refrain from trying to do so.