Ecclesiastes 3:15 (DRB)

Passage

That which hath been made, the same continueth: the things that shall be, have already been: and God restoreth that which is past.

Nearby Context

Ecclesiastes 3:13 For every man that eateth and drinketh, and seeth good of his labour, this is the gift of God.

Ecclesiastes 3:14 I have learned that all the works which God hath made, continue for ever: we cannot add any thing, nor take away from those things which God hath made that he may be feared.

Ecclesiastes 3:15 That which hath been made, the same continueth: the things that shall be, have already been: and God restoreth that which is past.

Ecclesiastes 3:16 I saw under the sun in the place of judgment wickedness, and in the place of justice iniquity.

Ecclesiastes 3:17 And I said in my heart: God shall judge both the just and the wicked, and then shall be the time of every thing.

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "hath", "been", "same", "continueth", "things", "shall", and "already". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "hath" and "been", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 14's "I have learned that all the works..." into verse 16's "I saw under the sun in the...", so "hath" and "been" belong inside that flow. In Ecclesiastes context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "hath" and "been" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.