“For there is hope for a tree,
    if it be cut down, that it will sprout again,
    and that its shoots will not cease.
Though its root grow old in the earth,
    and (A)its stump die in the soil,
yet at the scent of water it will bud
    and put out (B)branches like a young plant.
10 But a man dies and is laid low;
    man breathes his last, and (C)where is he?
11 (D)As waters fail from a lake
    and a river wastes away and dries up,
12 so a man lies down and rises not again;
    till (E)the heavens are no more he will not awake
    or be (F)roused out of his sleep.

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Trees versus humans

Indeed there is hope for a tree.
    If it’s cut down and still sprouting
    and its shoots don’t fail,
    if its roots age in the ground
        and its stump dies in the dust,
    at the scent of water, it will bud
        and produce sprouts like a plant.
10 But a human dies and lies there;
    a person expires, and where is he?
11 Water vanishes from the sea;
    a river dries up completely.
12 But a human lies down and doesn’t rise
        until the heavens cease;
    they don’t get up and awaken from sleep.

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