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Is It Better to Be Dead?

Again I saw all the people who were mistreated here on earth.

I saw their tears
    and that they had no one to comfort them.
Cruel people had all the power,
    and there was no one to comfort those they hurt.
I decided that the dead
    are better off than the living.
But those who have never been born
    are better off still;
they have not seen the evil
    that is done here on earth.

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Oppression, Toil, Friendlessness

Again I looked and saw all the oppression(A) that was taking place under the sun:

I saw the tears of the oppressed—
    and they have no comforter;
power was on the side of their oppressors—
    and they have no comforter.(B)
And I declared that the dead,(C)
    who had already died,
are happier than the living,
    who are still alive.(D)
But better than both
    is the one who has never been born,(E)
who has not seen the evil
    that is done under the sun.(F)

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