כִּי כָל יָמָיו מַכְאֹבִים וגו', זֶה דּוֹר הַמַּבּוּל שֶׁהֵם מַכְאִיבִין לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בְּמַעֲשֵׂיהֶם הָרָעִים. וָכַעַס עִנְיָנוֹ, שֶׁמַּכְעִיסִין לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בְּמַעֲשֵׂי יְדֵיהֶם. גַּם בַּלַּיְלָה לֹא שָׁכַב לִבּוֹ, שֶׁא שָׁכַב לִבּוֹ מִן הָעֲבֵרוֹת. וּמִנַּיִן אַף הַיּוֹם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית ו, ה): וְכָל יֵצֶר מַחְשְׁבֹת לִבּוֹ רַק רַע כָּל הַיּוֹם. וְאַף הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא הֵבִיא עֲלֵיהֶם פֻּרְעָנוּת בַּיּוֹם וּבַלַּיְלָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית ז, יב): וַיְהִי הַגֶּשֶׁם עַל הָאָרֶץ אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם וְאַרְבָּעִים לָיְלָה וגו'. דָּבָר אַחֵר, גַּם בַּלַּיְלָה לֹא שָׁכַב לִבּוֹ, זֶה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, שֶׁחָשַׁב בְּלִבּוֹ לְהָבִיא עֲלֵיהֶם פֻּרְעָנוּת בַּיּוֹם וּבַלַּיְלָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית ז, כג): וַיִּמַח אֶת כָּל הַיְקוּם. דָּבָר אַחֵר, כִּי כָל יָמָיו מַכְאֹבִים, אֵלּוּ הַסְּדוֹמִיִּים, שֶׁהָיוּ מַכְאִיבִין לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בְּמַעֲשֵׂיהֶם הָרָעִים. וָכַעַס עִנְיָנוֹ, שֶׁהִכְעִיסוּ לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בְּמַעֲשֵׂה יְדֵיהֶם. גַּם בַּלַּיְלָה לֹא שָׁכַב לִבּוֹ, לְהָבִיא עֲלֵיהֶם פֻּרְעָנוּת בַּיּוֹם וּבַלַּיְלָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית יט, כד): וַה' הִמְטִיר עַל סְדֹם וְעַל עֲמֹרָה וגו'. דָּבָר אַחֵר, כִּי כָל יָמָיו מַכְאֹבִים, אֵלּוּ הַמִּצְרִיִּים שֶׁהָיוּ מַכְאִיבִים לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בְּמַעֲשֵׂיהֶם הָרָעִים. וָכַעַס עִנְיָנוֹ, שֶׁהִכְעִיסוּ לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בְּמַעֲשֵׂי יְדֵיהֶם. גַּם בַּלַּיְלָה לֹא שָׁכַב לִבּוֹ, מֵאַחַר שֶׁהָיָה אֶחָד מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל מַשְׁלִים מְלַאכְתּוֹ הָיָה אוֹמֵר לוֹ הַמִּצְרִי עֲדֹר לִי שְׁתֵּי עֲדִירוֹת, וּבַקַּע לִי שְׁתֵּי בְּקִיעוֹת. דָּבָר אַחֵר, גַּם בַּלַּיְלָה לֹא שָׁכַב לִבּוֹ, זֶה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שֶׁחָשַׁב בְּלִבּוֹ לְהָבִיא עֲלֵיהֶם פֻּרְעָנוּת בַּיּוֹם וּפֻרְעָנוּת בַּלַּיְלָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות יב, כט): וַיְהִי בַּחֲצִי הַלַּיְלָה וגו'.
“For all his days are pains, and his occupation is anger; even at night his heart does not rest. This, too, is vanity” (Ecclesiastes 2:23). “For all his days are pains” – this is the generation of the Flood, who pained the Holy One blessed be He with their wicked deeds. “And his occupation is anger” – as they anger the Holy One blessed be He with their handiwork. “Even at night his heart does not rest” from sins. From where is it derived that [this is true] even during the day? It is as it is stated: “And every inclination of his heart’s thoughts was only bad all day long” (Genesis 6:5). The Holy One blessed be He, too, brought punishment upon them during the day and at night, as it is stated: “The rain was upon the earth forty days and forty nights” (Genesis 7:12). Alternatively: “Even at night his heart does not rest” – this is the Holy One blessed be He, who decided in His heart to bring punishment upon them by day and by night, as it is stated: “He obliterated all existence” (Genesis 7:23). Another matter: “For all his days are pains” – these are the Sodomites, who would pain the Holy One blessed be He with their wicked deeds. “And his occupation is anger” – as they angered the Holy One blessed be He with their handiwork. “Even at night his heart does not rest” – [this is God, who decided] to bring punishment upon them during the day and at night, as it is stated: “The Lord rained upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah…” (Genesis 19:24). Another matter: “For all his days are pains” – these are the Egyptians, who would pain the Holy One blessed be He with their wicked deeds. “And his occupation is anger” – as they angered the Holy One blessed be He with their handiwork. “Even at night his heart does not rest” – when one of the Israelites would complete his labor, the Egyptian would say to him: ‘Hoe me two furrows, chop me two logs.’ Alternatively: “Even at night his heart does not rest” – this is the Holy One blessed be He, who decided in His heart to bring punishment upon them during the day and punishment upon them at night, as it is stated: “It was at midnight [that the Lord smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt” (Exodus 12:29).