A brotherhood of lamas last in the foothills of Tibet
Devote their whole live to the recitation of the names of god.
If they have all been stated, the world will come to an end,
An entire cycle of the world.

9 billion names of god.

But the lamas read slowly.
Then they hear talk of a machine.
A powerful IBM-PC to hasten their task.

So the technicians arrive
And set up the machine.
Shortly before the expiry of the operation
They flee the monastery.

Climbing down into the civilized world
The specialists lifted their eyes to heaven.
Overhead, with any fuss
They see the stars go out one by one.