Which rejoice exceedingly, And are glad, when they can find the grave?
Which long for death, but it cometh not; And dig for it more than for hid treasures;
Why is light given to a man whose way is hid, And whom God hath hedged in?
The clods of the valley shall be sweet unto him, And every man shall draw after him, As there are innumerable before him.
And death shall be chosen rather than life by all the residue of them that remain of this evil family, which remain in all the places whither I have driven them, saith the LORD of hosts.
Oh that I might have my request; And that God would grant me the thing that I long for!
Then should I yet have comfort; Yea, I would harden myself in sorrow: let him not spare; For I have not concealed the words of the Holy One.
So that my soul chooseth strangling, And death rather than my life.
But the eyes of the wicked shall fail, And they shall not escape, And their hope shall be as the giving up of the ghost.
Wherefore I praised the dead which are already dead more than the living which are yet alive.
Yea, better is he than both they, which hath not yet been, who hath not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.