The Meaning of Ecclesiastes 1:9 Explained

Ecclesiastes 1:9

KJV: The thing that hath 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.

YLT: What is that which hath been? it is that which is, and what is that which hath been done? it is that which is done, and there is not an entirely new thing under the sun.

Darby: That which hath been is that which shall be; and that which hath been done is that which will be done: and there is nothing new under the sun.

ASV: That which hath been is that which shall be; and that which hath been done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

The thing that hath 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. 

What does Ecclesiastes 1:9 Mean?

Context Summary

Ecclesiastes 1:1-18 - The Testimony Of An Unsatisfied Soul
All is vanity! This cry finds an echo in human hearts of every age and clime. Clod meant man to be happy. "These things," said our Lord, "I have spoken to you, that your joy may be full." "The fruit of the Spirit is joy." Yet the air is laden with complaint and bitterness. Men are asking constantly, "Is life worth living?" The present age is full of unrest and weariness, of war and strife, of unsatisfied yearnings and desires. The mistake is that men seek to solve the mystery of life and to find their happiness apart from God, who has made us for Himself.
This book was written and incorporated in the Bible to show that man's quest for happiness is vain, so long as it is apart from God. Solomon had unbounded opportunities for pursuing his quest. Youth, wealth, wisdom, royalty, human love were his, but when all were mixed in the golden cup of his life, he turned from the draught unsatisfied and sad. Listen to the sigh of the sated voluptuary: Vanity of vanities! Let us turn from these bitter experiences to 1 John 2:15-17. [source]

Chapter Summary: Ecclesiastes 1

1  the preacher shows that all human courses are vain
4  because the creatures are restless in their courses
9  they bring forth nothing new, and all old things are forgotten
12  and because he has found it so in the studies of wisdom

What do the individual words in Ecclesiastes 1:9 mean?

What has been is what will be and what [is] done what will be done And [there is] nothing all new under the sun
מַה־ שֶּֽׁהָיָה֙ ה֣וּא שֶׁיִּהְיֶ֔ה וּמַה־ שֶׁנַּֽעֲשָׂ֔ה שֶׁיֵּעָשֶׂ֑ה וְאֵ֥ין כָּל־ חָדָ֖שׁ תַּ֥חַת הַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ

שֶּֽׁהָיָה֙  has  been 
Parse: Pronoun, relative, Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
שֶׁיִּהְיֶ֔ה  what  will  be 
Parse: Pronoun, relative, Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
וּמַה־  and  what 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Interrogative
Root: לָמָּה 
Sense: what, how, of what kind.
שֶׁנַּֽעֲשָׂ֔ה  [is]  done 
Parse: Pronoun, relative, Verb, Nifal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
שֶׁיֵּעָשֶׂ֑ה  what  will  be  done 
Parse: Pronoun, relative, Verb, Nifal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
וְאֵ֥ין  And  [there  is]  nothing 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb
Root: אַיִן 
Sense: nothing, not, nought n.
חָדָ֖שׁ  new 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: חָדָשׁ  
Sense: new, new thing, fresh.
תַּ֥חַת  under 
Parse: Preposition
Root: מִתְחָה 
Sense: the under part, beneath, instead of, as, for, for the sake of, flat, unto, where, whereas.
הַשָּֽׁמֶשׁ  the  sun 
Parse: Article, Noun, common singular
Root: שֶׁמֶשׁ  
Sense: sun.