15 Whatever is has already been,

and what will be has been before;

and God will call the past to account.

16 And I saw something else under the sun:

In the place of judgment—wickedness was there,

in the place of justice—wickedness was there.

17 I said to myself,

“God will bring into judgment

both the righteous and the wicked,

for there will be a time for every activity,

a time to judge every deed.”

15 That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth that which is past.

16 And moreover I saw under the sun the place of judgment, that wickedness was there; and the place of righteousness, that iniquity was there. 17 I said in mine heart, God shall judge the righteous and the wicked: for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.

15 What is happening now has happened before, and what will happen in the future has happened before, because God makes the same things happen over and over again.

16 I also noticed that under the sun there is evil in the courtroom. Yes, even the courts of law are corrupt! 17 I said to myself, “In due season God will judge everyone, both good and bad, for all their deeds.”

15 That which is has already been,

And what is to be has already been;

And God requires an account of what is past.

16 Moreover I saw under the sun:

In the place of judgment,

Wickedness was there;

And in the place of righteousness,

Iniquity was there.

17 I said in my heart,

“God shall judge the righteous and the wicked,

For there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.”

15 What happens now has happened in the past,

and what will happen in the future has happened before.

God makes the same things happen again and again.

16 I also saw this here on earth:

Where there should have been justice, there was evil;

where there should have been right, there was wrong.

17 I said to myself,

God has planned a time for every thing and every action,

so he will judge both good people and bad.

15 That which is hath been long ago; and that which is to be hath long ago been: and God seeketh again that which is passed away.

16 And moreover I saw under the sun, in the place of justice, that wickedness was there; and in the place of righteousness, that wickedness was there. 17 I said in my heart, God will judge the righteous and the wicked; for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.

15 That which is was long ago, and that which is to be hath already been; and God bringeth back again that which is past.

16 And moreover I saw under the sun, that in the place of judgment, wickedness was there; and in the place of righteousness, wickedness was there. 17 I said in my heart, God will judge the righteous and the wicked; for there is a time there for every purpose and for every work.

15 Whatever has happened ⸤in the past⸥ is present now. Whatever is going to happen ⸤in the future⸥ has already happened ⸤in the past⸥. God will call the past to account. 

16 I saw something else under the sun: 

There is wickedness where justice should be found. 

There is wickedness where righteousness should be found. 

17 I thought to myself, “God will judge righteous people as well as wicked people, because there is a specific time for every activity and every work that is done.”

15 Whatever is, has already been, and whatever will be, already is. God repeats what has passed.

16 I also observed under the sun: there is wickedness at the place of judgment and there is wickedness at the place of righteousness. 17 I said to myself, “God will judge the righteous and the wicked, since there is a time for every activity and every work.”

15 That which is, already has been; that which is to be, already is; and God seeks out what has gone by.

16 Moreover I saw under the sun that in the place of justice, wickedness was there, and in the place of righteousness, wickedness was there as well. 17 I said in my heart, God will judge the righteous and the wicked, for he has appointed a time for every matter, and for every work.

15 What is—it already was,

and what will be—it already is,

for God will do what he has done.

16 I saw something else under the sun: instead of justice there was evil; instead of righteousness there was wickedness. 17 So I said to myself, “God will surely judge the righteous and the wicked, for he has appointed a time of judgment for every deed and every work.”

15 Everything that now exists has already been.

And what is coming has existed before.

God will judge those who treat others badly.

16 Here’s something else I saw on earth.

Where people should be treated right,

they are treated wrong.

Where people should be treated fairly,

they are treated unfairly.

17 I said to myself,

“God will judge

godly and sinful people alike.

He has a time for every act.

He has a time for everything that is done.”

15 That which is has been already and that which will be has already been, for God seeks what has passed by.

16 Furthermore, I have seen under the sun that in the place of justice there is wickedness and in the place of righteousness there is wickedness.

17 I said to myself, “God will judge both the righteous man and the wicked man,” for a time for every matter and for every deed is there.