Ecclesiastes 1:9

1:9 What exists now ¹  is what will be, ² 

and what has been done is what will be done;

there is nothing truly new on earth. ³ 

Ecclesiastes 5:15

5:15 Just as he came forth from his mother's womb, naked will he return as he came,

and he will take nothing in his hand that he may carry away from his toil.

[1:9]  ¹ tn Heb “what is.” The Hebrew verbal form is a perfect. Another option is to translate, “What has been.” See the next line, which speaks of the past and the future.

[1:9]  ² tn The Hebrew verbal form is an imperfect.

[1:9]  ³ tn Heb “under the sun.”