who rejoice exceedingly, and are glad when they can find the grave?
who long for death, but it comes not, and dig for it more than for hid treasures,
[Why is light given] to a man whose way is hid, and whom God has hedged in?
The clods of the valley shall be sweet to him. And all men shall draw after him, as there were innumerable before him.
And death shall be chosen rather than life by all the residue that remain of this evil family, that remain in all the places where I have driven them, says LORD of hosts.
O that I might have my request, and that God would grant [me] the thing that I long for!
And be it still my consolation, yea, let me exult (in pain that does not spare), that I have not denied the words of the Holy One.
so that my soul chooses strangling and death rather than [these] my bones.
But the eyes of the wicked shall fail, and they shall have no way to flee. And their hope shall be the giving up of the spirit.
Therefore I praised the dead who have long been dead more than the living who are yet alive.
Yea, better than them both [is] him who has not yet been, who has not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.