Lyrics
The missing bit at the end of the second verse says "So if you're looking for a patsy / Why not try the entire human race / Just to play it safe?" Patsy is American slang for scapegoat.
Song meaning
Brett: "Better Off Dead is about carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders and how it's better off not to do that."[1]
Brett: "Better Off Dead is not a love song. It's a song about personal responsibility."
References
^ Roger Vulture interview with Brett (1996)