What exists has already been, and what will be has already been, for God will call to account what has passed.Ecclesiastes 3:15
Original language and places
Reference data from open datasets, shown as published by their sources. Word-by-word English is a literal guide, not a translation.
Original language (Hebrew)
מַה־שֶּֽׁהָיָה֙ כְּבָ֣ר ה֔וּא וַאֲשֶׁ֥ר לִהְי֖וֹת כְּבָ֣ר הָיָ֑ה וְהָאֱלֹהִ֖ים יְבַקֵּ֥שׁ אֶת־נִרְדָּֽף׃
- מַה־mah-“whatever”Pronoun, interrogative · from מָה · “what?” · Strong's H4100
- שֶּֽׁהָיָה֙she.ha.Yah“that <it> is”Particle, relative + Verb, qal, perfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular · from הָיָה · “to be” · Strong's H1961
- כְּבָ֣רke.Var“[has been] already”Noun, masculine, singular, absolute · from כְּבָר · “already” · Strong's H3528
- ה֔וּאHu'“it”Pronoun, personal, 3rd person, masculine, singular · from הוּא · “he; she; it” · Strong's H1931
- וַאֲשֶׁ֥רva.'a.Sher“and [that] which”Conjunction + Particle, relative · from אֲשֶׁר · “which” · Strong's H0834A
- לִהְי֖וֹתlih.Yot“[is] to be”Preposition + Verb, qal, infinitive construct, common · from הָיָה · “to be” · Strong's H1961
- כְּבָ֣רke.Var“already”Noun, masculine, singular, absolute · from כְּבָר · “already” · Strong's H3528
- הָיָ֑הha.Yah“it has been”Verb, qal, perfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular · from הָיָה · “to be” · Strong's H1961
- וְהָאֱלֹהִ֖יםve.ha.'E.lo.Him“and <the> God”Conjunction + Definite article + Noun, masculine, plural, absolute · from אֱלֹהִים · “God” · Strong's H0430G
- יְבַקֵּ֥שׁye.va.Kesh“he will seek”Verb, piel, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular · from בָּקַשׁ · “to seek” · Strong's H1245
- אֶת־'et-“<obj.>”Particle, direct object marker · from אֵת · “[Obj.]” · Strong's H0853
- נִרְדָּֽף׃nir.Daf“[what] was pursued”Verb, niphal, participle (active), masculine, singular, absolute · from רָדַף · “to pursue” · Strong's H7291
- Hebrew and Aramaic words: STEP Bible (STEPBible.org), based on work at Tyndale House, Cambridge. CC BY 4.0. Source (version ed476a8)