"I wasteaway;I will not liveforever.Leaveme alone,for my daysare [but] a breath.
Rebekahsaidto Isaac,"I am tiredof livingbecauseof the daughtersof Heth;ifJacobtakesa wifefrom the daughtersof Heth,like these,from the daughtersof the land,whatgood will my lifebe to me?"
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.
"Would He not letmy fewdaysalone?Withdrawfrom me that I may havea littlecheer
"TurnYour gazefrom him that he may rest,Untilhe fulfillshis daylike a hiredman.
"Would that Godwere willingto crushme, That He would looseHis handand cutme off!
So that my soulwould choosesuffocation,Deathratherthanmy pains.
"Rememberthat my lifeis [but] breath;My eyewill not againseegood.
"I am guiltless;I do not takenoticeof myself;I despisemy life.
Manis likea merebreath;His daysare like a passingshadow.
"RemoveYour plaguefrom me; Becauseof the oppositionof Your handI am perishing.
"TurnYour gazeawayfrom me, that I may smile[again] BeforeI departand am nomore."
"Surelyeverymanwalksabout as a phantom;Surelythey makean uproarfor nothing;He amasses[riches] and does not knowwhowill gatherthem.
Menof lowdegreeare onlyvanityand menof rankare a lie;In the balancesthey goup; They are togetherlighter thanbreath.
So He broughttheir daysto an endin futilityAnd their yearsin suddenterror.
Thus He rememberedthat they were but flesh,A windthat passesand does not return.
So I hatedlife,for the workwhichhad been doneunderthe sunwas grievousto me; becauseeverythingis futilityand strivingafter wind.
"And deathwill be chosenratherthanlifeby allthe remnantthat remainsof thisevilfamily,that remainsin allthe placesto whichI have driventhem," declaresthe LORDof hosts.
"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."
