ke.var marks a state, action, or event as prior to the point being considered in its Ecclesiastes contexts.

The adverb marks something as preceding the present point of view: a thing existed before, an event was completed, or a condition had already been established. Its uses apply this temporal perspective to existence, death, naming, perishing, and divine acceptance.

1. Prior existence or completed state · dominant

   All supplied forms are tagged as adverbs and place the surrounding statement before its stated reference point. In Ecclesiastes 1:10 the APB renders a supposedly new thing as having existed in earlier ages; Ecclesiastes 3:15 applies the same perspective to what has been and what is to be. The clause also marks completed or established conditions: the dead have died in Ecclesiastes 4:2, a name was called in Ecclesiastes 6:10, love, hate, and jealousy have perished in Ecclesiastes 9:6, and God has accepted work in Ecclesiastes 9:7.

   Ecclesiastes 1:10Ecclesiastes 3:15Ecclesiastes 4:2Ecclesiastes 6:10Ecclesiastes 9:6Ecclesiastes 9:7

In the Anselm Project Bible: The APB commonly presents the adverb with “already,” including Ecclesiastes 1:10, Ecclesiastes 3:15, Ecclesiastes 4:2, Ecclesiastes 6:10, Ecclesiastes 9:6, and Ecclesiastes 9:7. This reflects the clauses' overall prior-time framing rather than a fixed English equivalent in every verse.