Tangible vs Intangible assets

[timelets]

31. “And Jacob said, “Sell now your birthright to me.” 32. And Esau said, “Look, I am at the point of death, so why do I need a birthright?” 33. And Jacob said, “Swear to me now,” and he swore to him, and he sold his birthright to Jacob. 34. Then Jacob gave Esau bread and lentil stew, and he ate and he drank and he rose and he went off, and Esau spurned the birthright.”

Genesis, 25.

--- quoted from Robert Alter, The Art of Biblical Narrative.

Another interesting dichotomy here would be short- vs long-term, i.e. "survival budget" expressed as I am at the point of death.
upd. Solzhenicyn also writes about a somewhat similar situation in "In the first circle."