כִּ֣י שְׁאַל־נָא֩ לְיָמִ֨ים רִֽאשֹׁנִ֜ים אֲשֶׁר־הָי֣וּ לְפָנֶ֗יךָ לְמִן־הַיּוֹם֙ אֲשֶׁר֩ בָּרָ֨א אֱלֹהִ֤ים ׀ אָדָם֙ עַל־הָאָ֔רֶץ וּלְמִקְצֵ֥ה הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם וְעַד־קְצֵ֣ה הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם הֲנִֽהְיָ֗ה כַּדָּבָ֤ר הַגָּדוֹל֙ הַזֶּ֔ה א֖וֹ הֲנִשְׁמַ֥ע כָּמֹֽהוּ׃
װאָרום פֿרעג אַקאָרשט נאָך אױף די פֿריערדיקע טעג װאָס זײַנען געװען פֿאַר דיר, פֿון זינט דעם טאָג װאָס גאָט האָט באַשאַפֿן אַ מענטשן אױף דער ערד, און פֿון עק הימל ביז עק הימל, אױב עס איז װען געשען אַזױ װי די דאָזיקע גרױסע זאַך, אָדער אױב אַזױ-װאָס איז געהערט געװאָרן;
Rashi
לימים ראשנים is the same as על ימים ראשנים [ASK NOW] REGARDING THE FORMER DAYS.
Chizkuni
כי שאל נא, “for ask now of the days past;” make enquiries of earlier generations if any nation ever experienced what you have been granted to experience;” seeing that we have been granted more privileges than any generation of mankind experienced, our G-d is especially mindful that we do not prove ungrateful.
Da'at Zekenim
כי שאל נא וגו, “You only have to inquire, etc.;” if you were to ask why G–d is so much more strict with us than with other nations, all you have to do is to ask yourselves if there is any nation whose fate has been as carefully supervised by G–d as yours from the time of Avraham; in light of all that He has done for you, do you not think that He is entitled to measure you by different yardsticks?