What he meant was that we all die, and that our deeds don't matter much except as judged by God and posterity. I didn't know that Wayland the Smith was supposed to be a goldsmith, though. I thought he made swords (a good one was much more precious than gold). Earl Aelfgar of Essex left in the 940s a sword and sheath worth 4500 silver pence, the price of 150 oxen or about 20 slaves.
Mark