"Would that Godwere willingto crushme, That He would looseHis handand cutme off!
But he himselfwenta day'sjourneyinto the wilderness,and cameand satdownundera junipertree;and he requestedfor himselfthat he might die,and said,"It is enough;now,O LORD,takemy life,for I am not betterthanmy fathers."
"I loathemy own life;I will givefullventto my complaint;I will speakin the bitternessof my soul.
"But the eyesof the wickedwill fail,And there will be noescapefor them; And their hopeis to breathetheir last."
"Ohthat You would hideme in Sheol,That You would concealme untilYour wrathreturns[to You], That You would seta limitfor me and rememberme!
"Pityme, pityme, O you my friends,For the handof Godhas struckme.
"Ohthat my requestmight cometo pass,And that Godwould grantmy longing!
"I am guiltless;I do not takenoticeof myself;I despisemy life.
For dayand nightYour handwas heavyupon me; My vitalitywas drainedaway [as] with the feverheatof summer.Selah.
"Like a shepherd'stentmy dwellingis pulledup and removedfrom me; As a weaverI rolledup my life.He cutsme offfrom the loom;From dayuntilnightYou makean endof me.
"Therefore now,O LORD,pleasetakemy lifefrom me, for deathis betterto me thanlife."
When the suncameup Godappointeda scorchingeastwind,and the sunbeatdownon Jonah'sheadso that he becamefaintand beggedwith [all] his soulto die,saying,"Deathis betterto me thanlife."
And in thosedaysmenwill seekdeathand will not findit; they will longto die,and deathfleesfrom them.
