Ecclesiastes 1:10 Is there anything of which one can say, "Look! This is something new"? It was here already, long ago; it was here before our time.

◄ Ecclesiastes 1:10 ►

Parallel Verses

New International Version
Is there anything of which one can say, "Look! This is something new"? It was here already, long ago; it was here before our time.

English Standard Version
Is there a thing of which it is said, “See, this is new”? It has been already in the ages before us.

New American Standard Bible
Is there anything of which one might say, "See this, it is new "? Already it has existed for ages Which were before us.

King James Bible
Is there any thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Can one say about anything," Look, this is new"? It has already existed in the ages before us.

International Standard Version
Does anything exist about which someone might say, "Look at this! Is this new?" It happened ages ago; it existed before we did.

American Standard Version
Is there a thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been long ago, in the ages which were before us.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Nothing under the sun is new, neither is any man able to say: Behold this is new: for it hath already gone before in the ages that were before us.

Darby Bible Translation
Is there a thing whereof it may be said, See, this is new? It hath been already in the ages which were before us.

Young's Literal Translation
There is a thing of which one saith: 'See this, it is new!' already it hath been in the ages that were before us!

Cross References

Ecclesiastes 1:9
The thing that has been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.

Ecclesiastes 1:11
There is no remembrance of former things; neither shall there be any remembrance of things that are to come with those that shall come after.

Ecclesiastes 2:12
And I turned myself to behold wisdom, and madness, and folly: for what can the man do that comes after the king? even that which has been already done.

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Commentaries

Matthew Henry's Commentary

1:9-11 Men's hearts and their corruptions are the same now as in former times; their desires, and pursuits, and complaints, still the same. This should take us from expecting happiness in the creature, and quicken us to seek eternal blessings. How many things and persons in Solomon's day were thought very great, yet there is no remembrance of them now!

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown

10. old time—Hebrew, "ages."

which was—The Hebrew plural cannot be joined to the verb singular. Therefore translate: "It hath been in the ages before; certainly it hath been before us" [Holden]. Or, as Maurer: "That which has been (done) before us (in our presence, 1Ch 16:33), has been (done) already in the old times."