Better Unborn

Better it would be for me
And better it would have been
Had I not been born, not grown
Not been brought into the world
Not had to come to this earth
Not been suckled for the world

If I'd died a three-night-old
Been lost in my swaddling band
I'd have needed but a span of cloth
A span more of wood
But a cubit of good earth
Two words from the priest
Three verses from the cantor
One clang from the bell

Better it would be for me
And better it would have been
Had I not been born, not grown
Not been brought into the world
Not had to come to this earth
Not been suckled for the world
I'd rather die, I'd rather be
Better unborn

If I'd died a three-night-old
Been lost in my swaddling band
I'd have needed but a span of cloth
A span more of wood
But a cubit of good earth
Two words from the priest
Three verses from the cantor
One clang from the bell

Better it would be for me
And better it would have been
Had I not been born, not grown
Not been brought into the world
Not had to come to this earth
Not been suckled for the world
I'd rather die, I'd rather be
Better unborn