כַּאֲשֶׁר יָצָא מִבֶּטֶן אִמּוֹ, גְּנִיבָא אָמַר לְשׁוּעָל שֶׁמָּצָא כֶּרֶם וְהָיָה מְסֻיָּג מִכָּל פִּנּוֹתָיו, וְהָיָה שָׁם נֶקֶב אֶחָד וּבִקֵּשׁ לְהִכָּנֵס בּוֹ וְלָא הֲוָה יָכֵיל, מָה עֲבַד צָם תְּלַת יוֹמִין עַד דְּכָחֵישׁ וְתָשַׁשׁ, וְעָאל בַּהֲדָא נְקוּבָא, וְאָכַל וְשָׁמַן, בְּעָא לְמֵיפַק וְלָא יָכֵיל מְעִיבַּר כְּלוּם, חָזַר וְצָאֵים תְּלַת יוֹמִין אוֹחֳרָנִין עַד דְּכָחֵישׁ וְתָשַׁשׁ, וְחָזַר הֵיךְ מַה דַּהֲוָה וּנְפַק, כַּד נְפַק הֲוָה אַפִּיךְ אַפּוֹי וְאִיסְתַּכַּל בֵּיהּ, אָמַר כַּרְמָא כַּרְמָא מַה טָּב אַתְּ וּמַה טָּבִין אִינוּן פֵּירִין דִּבְגַוָּוךְ, וְכָל מַה דְּאִית בָּךְ יָאִין וּמְשַׁבְּחָן, בְּרַם מָה הֲנָיָה מִמָּךְ כְּמָה דְּבַר נָשׁ עָלֵיל לְגַוָּויךְ כָּךְ הוּא נָפֵיק, כָּךְ הוּא דֵּין עַלְמָא. דָּבָר אַחֵר, כַּאֲשֶׁר יָצָא מִבֶּטֶן אִמּוֹ עָרוֹם יָשׁוּב לָלֶכֶת כְּשֶׁבָּא, תַּנְיָא כְּמוֹ שֶׁבָּא אָדָם כֵּן יֵלֵךְ, אָדָם בָּא בְּקוֹל וְנִפְטַר מִן הָעוֹלָם בְּקוֹל, בָּא לָעוֹלָם בִּבְכִיָה וְנִפְטַר מִן הָעוֹלָם בִּבְכִיָּה, בָּא לָעוֹלָם בְּחִבָּה, וְנִפְטַר מִן הָעוֹלָם בְּחִבָּה, בָּא בָּעוֹלָם בַּאֲנָחָה וְנִפְטַר מִן הָעוֹלָם בַּאֲנָחָה. בָּא לָעוֹלָם בִּבְלִי דַעַת וְנִפְטַר מִן הָעוֹלָם בִּבְלִי דַעַת. תָּנֵי בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי מֵאִיר, כְּשֶׁאָדָם בָּא לָעוֹלָם יָדָיו הֵן קְפוּצוֹת, כְּלוֹמַר כָּל הָעוֹלָם כֻּלּוֹ שֶׁלִּי הוּא, אֲנִי נוֹחֲלוֹ. וּכְשֶׁהוּא נִפְטַר מִן הָעוֹלָם יָדָיו הֵן פְּשׁוּטוֹת, כְּלוֹמַר לֹא נָחַלְתִּי מִן הָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה כְּלוּם, שֶׁכֵּן שְׁלֹמֹה אוֹמֵר: כַּאֲשֶׁר יָצָא מִבֶּטֶן אִמּוֹ עָרוֹם יָשׁוּב לָלֶכֶת כְּשֶׁבָּא וּמְאוּמָה וגו'.
“As he emerged from his mother's womb, so he will return naked, to go as he came, and he will take nothing for his toil that he can carry in his hand” (Ecclesiastes 5:14). “As he emerged from his mother's womb” – Geniva said: [It is analogous] to a fox that found a vineyard that was fenced on all sides. There was one opening, and it sought to enter through it but was unable to do so. What did it do? It fasted three days until it was thin and weak, and it entered through the opening, ate, and grew fat. It sought to exit, but it could not pass at all. It again fasted, three other days, until it was thin and weak and it returned to be as it had been, and it exited. When it exited, it turned its face and looked at [the vineyard]. It said: ‘Vineyard, vineyard, what good are you, and what good are the fruits that are in you? Everything that is in you is good and excellent; however, what benefit is there from you? Just as one enters into you, so he emerges.’ This world is the same. Another matter: “As he emerged from his mother's womb, so he will return naked, to go as he came” – it is taught: As a person comes, so he will go. A person comes with noise, and takes his leave of the world with noise; he comes to the world with weeping, and takes his leave of this world with weeping; he comes to the world with affection, and takes his leave of the world with affection; he comes to the world with a sigh, and takes his leave of the world with a sigh; he comes to the world without knowledge, and takes his leave of the world without knowledge. It is taught in the name of Rabbi Meir: When a person comes to the world, his fists are clenched, as though to say: The entire world is mine, I will inherit it. When he takes his leave of the world his hands are open, as though to say: I did not inherit anything in this world, as Solomon said: “As he emerged from his mother's womb, so he will return naked, to go as he came, and [he will take] nothing [for his toil that he can carry in his hand].”