while he went a day's journey into the desert. He went and sat down under a shrub and asked the Lord to take his life: "I've had enough! Now, O Lord, take my life. After all, I'm no better than my ancestors."

"Why does God give light to one who is in misery, and life to those whose soul is bitter,

so that I would prefer strangling, and death more than life.

"O that you would hide me in Sheol, and conceal me till your anger has passed! O that you would set me a time and then remember me!

Cursed be the day I was born! May that day not be blessed when my mother gave birth to me.

So now, Lord, kill me instead, because I would rather die than live!"

I feel torn between the two, because I have a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far,

Work

I reflected on everything that is accomplished by man on earth, and I concluded: Everything he has accomplished is futile -- like chasing the wind!

I saw something else on earth: In the place of justice, there was wickedness, and in the place of fairness, there was wickedness.

A wind lifted me up and carried me away. I went bitterly, my spirit full of fury, and the hand of the Lord rested powerfully on me.

Why do you force me to witness injustice? Why do you put up with wrongdoing? Destruction and violence confront me; conflict is present and one must endure strife.

For

Yet when I reflected on everything I had accomplished and on all the effort that I had expended to accomplish it, I concluded: "All these achievements and possessions are ultimately profitless -- like chasing the wind! There is nothing gained from them on earth."

It is better to be content with what the eyes can see than for one's heart always to crave more. This continual longing is futile -- like chasing the wind.

Take note of my brief lifespan! Why do you make all people so mortal?

General references

"Futile! Futile!" laments the Teacher, "Absolutely futile! Everything is futile!"

So I considered those who are dead and gone more fortunate than those who are still alive.

"Absolutely futile!" laments the Teacher, "All of these things are futile!"