And he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a certain broom-bush, and requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough: now, Jehovah, take my life; for I am not better than my fathers.

Wherefore is light given to him that is in trouble, and life to those bitter of soul,

So that my soul chooseth strangling, death, rather than my bones.

Oh that thou wouldest hide me in Sheol, that thou wouldest keep me secret until thine anger be past, that thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me, --

Cursed be the day wherein I was born; let not the day wherein my mother bore me be blessed!

And now, Jehovah, take, I beseech thee, my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live.

But I am pressed by both, having the desire for departure and being with Christ, for it is very much better,

Work

I have seen all the works that are done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and pursuit of the wind.

And moreover I saw under the sun, that in the place of judgment, wickedness was there; and in the place of righteousness, wickedness was there.

And the Spirit lifted me up, and took me away; and I went in bitterness, in the heat of my spirit, and the hand of Jehovah was strong upon me.

Why dost thou cause me to see iniquity, and lookest thou upon grievance? For spoiling and violence are before me; and there is strife, and contention riseth up.

For

Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that it had cost me to do them; and behold, all was vanity and pursuit of the wind, and there was no profit under the sun.

Better is the seeing of the eyes than the wandering of the desire: this also is vanity and pursuit of the wind.

Remember, as regards me, what life is. Wherefore hast thou created all the children of men to be vanity?

General references

Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities! all is vanity.

Then I praised the dead who are already dead more than the living who are yet alive;

Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher: all is vanity.