אִם־יוֹלִ֣יד אִ֣ישׁ מֵאָ֡ה וְשָׁנִים֩ רַבּ֨וֹת יִֽחְיֶ֜ה וְרַ֣ב ׀ שֶׁיִּהְי֣וּ יְמֵֽי־שָׁנָ֗יו וְנַפְשׁוֹ֙ לֹא־תִשְׂבַּ֣ע מִן־הַטּוֹבָ֔ה וְגַם־קְבוּרָ֖ה לֹא־הָ֣יְתָה לּ֑וֹ אָמַ֕רְתִּי ט֥וֹב מִמֶּ֖נּוּ הַנָּֽפֶל׃
Se un uomo genera un centinaio di bambini e vive molti anni, così che i giorni dei suoi anni sono molti, ma la sua anima non ha abbastanza di bene, e inoltre non ha sepoltura; Dico che una nascita prematura è meglio di lui;
Rashi on Ecclesiastes
If a man begets a hundred [children]. Children.4“A hundred” is figuratively speaking, it is an expression used to denote “many.” (Ibn Ezra)
Kohelet Rabbah
“If a man begets one hundred, and lives many years, and the days of his years are many, but his soul is not sated from the good, and he did not have a burial; I say, a stillborn is better than he” (Ecclesiastes 6:3).
“If a man begets one hundred” – this is Cain who begot one hundred sons; “and lives many years” – as [Cain] lived many years; “and the days of his years are many [but his soul is not sated from the good]” – his soul was not sated by his possessions and was not sated from the good of the world; “and he did not have a burial” – he was in abeyance, weakening, and the flood came and washed him away, as it is written: “He obliterated all the yekum” (Genesis 7:23). What is the yekum? It is existence [kiyyum]. Rabbi Bon said: The sustainers [okuminei].4Those who develop and sustain the world, namely people (Matnot Kehuna). Rabbi Elazar says: The yekum are the possessions that bolster the standing of their owner.5They help him stand [lakum]. Rabbi Shmuel says: The yekum is Cain,6In his regard it is written: “Cain arose [vayakom] against Abel his brother, and killed him” (Genesis 4:8). who was washed away. “The stillborn is better than he” – this is Abel, his brother.7Although Abel died young, comparable to a stillborn, he was better off than Cain, who suffered greatly and was not buried (Etz Yosef).
Another matter, “If a man begets one hundred” – this is Ahab, who begot one hundred sons. Rabbi Aḥa said: But isn’t it written: “Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria” (II Kings 10:1)? Rabbi Hoshaya said: Just as he had seventy sons in Samaria, so, too, he had seventy sons in Yizre’el,8Thus, he had more than a hundred sons. and each and every one of them had two palaces, one for the summer and one for the winter, as it is written: “I will smite the winter house with the summer house” (Amos 3:15). Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon said: Two for the summer and two others for the winter, as it is stated: “and the ivory houses will perish” (Amos 3:15).9He interprets these houses as separate from the winter house and summer house mentioned earlier in the verse. The Rabbis say: Six, as it is stated: “And many houses will be destroyed” (Amos 3:15). “And lives many years” – as he lived many years; “but his soul is not sated from the good” – from his possessions; “and he did not have a burial” – as it is written: “In the place where the dogs licked [the blood of Navot, dogs will lick your blood as well]” (I Kings 21:19). “The stillborn is better than he” – this is the stillborn of a prostitute.10Although its burial is not particularly honorable, it is buried nonetheless.
“If a man begets one hundred” – this is Cain who begot one hundred sons; “and lives many years” – as [Cain] lived many years; “and the days of his years are many [but his soul is not sated from the good]” – his soul was not sated by his possessions and was not sated from the good of the world; “and he did not have a burial” – he was in abeyance, weakening, and the flood came and washed him away, as it is written: “He obliterated all the yekum” (Genesis 7:23). What is the yekum? It is existence [kiyyum]. Rabbi Bon said: The sustainers [okuminei].4Those who develop and sustain the world, namely people (Matnot Kehuna). Rabbi Elazar says: The yekum are the possessions that bolster the standing of their owner.5They help him stand [lakum]. Rabbi Shmuel says: The yekum is Cain,6In his regard it is written: “Cain arose [vayakom] against Abel his brother, and killed him” (Genesis 4:8). who was washed away. “The stillborn is better than he” – this is Abel, his brother.7Although Abel died young, comparable to a stillborn, he was better off than Cain, who suffered greatly and was not buried (Etz Yosef).
Another matter, “If a man begets one hundred” – this is Ahab, who begot one hundred sons. Rabbi Aḥa said: But isn’t it written: “Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria” (II Kings 10:1)? Rabbi Hoshaya said: Just as he had seventy sons in Samaria, so, too, he had seventy sons in Yizre’el,8Thus, he had more than a hundred sons. and each and every one of them had two palaces, one for the summer and one for the winter, as it is written: “I will smite the winter house with the summer house” (Amos 3:15). Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon said: Two for the summer and two others for the winter, as it is stated: “and the ivory houses will perish” (Amos 3:15).9He interprets these houses as separate from the winter house and summer house mentioned earlier in the verse. The Rabbis say: Six, as it is stated: “And many houses will be destroyed” (Amos 3:15). “And lives many years” – as he lived many years; “but his soul is not sated from the good” – from his possessions; “and he did not have a burial” – as it is written: “In the place where the dogs licked [the blood of Navot, dogs will lick your blood as well]” (I Kings 21:19). “The stillborn is better than he” – this is the stillborn of a prostitute.10Although its burial is not particularly honorable, it is buried nonetheless.
Rashi on Ecclesiastes
So that the days of his years are many. (and much wealth and all goodness during the days of his life) His; וְרַב is an expression meaning “sufficient,” [i.e.,] a sufficient [=וְרַב degree of all goodness.5Alternatively, ורב means “and honorable” (Metsudas Dovid). Or, “the length of his life is greater [=ורב] than the average.” (Ibn Ezra)