7-9 Really! There’s no such thing as self-rescue,
    pulling yourself up by your bootstraps.
The cost of rescue is beyond our means,
    and even then it doesn’t guarantee
Life forever, or insurance
    against the Black Hole.

10-11 Anyone can see that the brightest and best die,
    wiped out right along with fools and idiots.
They leave all their prowess behind,
    move into their new home, The Coffin,
The cemetery their permanent address.
    And to think they named counties after themselves!

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so that they should live on(A) forever
    and not see decay.(B)
10 For all can see that the wise die,(C)
    that the foolish and the senseless(D) also perish,
    leaving their wealth(E) to others.(F)
11 Their tombs(G) will remain their houses[a] forever,
    their dwellings for endless generations,(H)
    though they had[b] named(I) lands after themselves.

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Footnotes

  1. Psalm 49:11 Septuagint and Syriac; Hebrew In their thoughts their houses will remain
  2. Psalm 49:11 Or generations, / for they have