“That which is has been long ago, and that which is to be has been long ago: and God seeks again that which is passed away.”
— WEB
Ecclesiastes 3:15
Cited in 2 topics on this site.
Translations sourced from the public-domain WEB, KJV, and ASV. See all sources.
“That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth that which is past.”
— KJV
“That which is hath been long ago; and that which is to be hath long ago been: and God seeketh again that which is passed away.”
— ASV
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Commentary
Resumption of Ecc 1:9. Whatever changes there be, the succession of events is ordered by God's "everlasting" laws (Ecc 3:14), and returns in a fixed cycle. requireth that . . . past--After many changes, God's law requires the return of the same cycle of events, as in the past, literally, "that which is driven on." The Septuagint and Syriac translate: "God requireth (that is, avengeth) the persecuted man"; a transition to Ecc 3:16-17. The parallel clauses of the verse support English Version.
— Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary (public domain)
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