Is there any thing, whereof it may be sayd, See, this is new? it hath beene already of olde time, which was before vs.
- King James Version (1611) - View 1611 Bible Scan

Is there anything of which one might say, "See this, it is new? Already it has existed for ages Which were before us."
- New American Standard Version (1995)

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.
- American Standard Version (1901)

Is there anything of which men say, See, this is new? It has been in the old time which was before us.
- Basic English Bible

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

Is there any thing of which it may be said, See, this is new? it hath been already of old time, which was before us.
- Webster's Bible

Is there a thing of which it may be said, "Behold, this is new?" It has been long ago, in the ages which were before us.
- World English Bible

There is a thing of which [one] saith: `See this, it [is] new!' already it hath been in the ages that were before us!
- Youngs Literal Bible

Is there a thing whereof it is said: 'See, this is new'? --it hath been already, in the ages which were before us.
- Jewish Publication Society Bible

Wesley's Notes for Ecclesiastes 1:10

1:8 All things - Not only the sun, and winds, and rivers, but all other creatures. Labour - They are in continual restlessness and change, never abiding in the same state. Is not satisfied - As there are many things in the world vexatious to men, so even those things which are comfortable, are not satisfactory, but men are constantly desiring some longer continuance or fuller enjoyment of them, or variety in them. The eye and ear are here put for all the senses, because these are most spiritual and refined, most curious and inquisitive, most capable of receiving satisfaction, and exercised with more ease and pleasure than the other senses.

1:9 There is - There is nothing in the world but a continued and tiresome repetition of the same things. The nature and course of the beings and affairs of the world, and the tempers of men, are the same that they ever were and shall ever be; and therefore, because no man ever yet received satisfaction from worldly things, it is vain for any person hereafter to expect it. No new thing - In the nature of things, which might give us hopes of attaining that satisfaction which hitherto things have not afforded.

1:11 No remembrance - This seems to be added to prevent the objection, There are many inventions and enjoyments unknown to former ages. To this he answers, This objection is grounded only upon our ignorance of ancient times which if we exactly knew or remembered, we should easily find parallels to all present occurrences. There are many thousands of remarkable speeches and actions done in this and the following ages which neither are, nor ever will be, put into the publick records or histories, and consequently must unavoidably be forgotten in succeeding ages; and therefore it is just and reasonable to believe the same concerning former ages.

1:12 I was king - Having asserted the vanity of all things in the general, he now comes to prove his assertion in those particulars wherein men commonly seek, and with greatest probability expect to find, true happiness. He begins with secular wisdom. And to shew how competent a judge he was of this matter, he lays down this character, That he was the preacher, which implies eminent knowledge; and a king, who therefore had all imaginable opportunities and advantages for the attainment of happiness, and particularly for the getting of wisdom, by consulting all sorts of books and men, by trying all manner of experiments; and no ordinary king, but king over Israel, God's own people, a wise and an happy people, whose king he was by God's special appointment and furnished by God, with singular wisdom for that great trust; and whose abode was in Jerusalem where were the house of God and the most wise and learned of the priests attending upon it, and the seats of justice, and colleges or assemblies of the wisest men of their nation. All these concurring in him, which rarely do in any other men, make the argument drawn from his experience more convincing.