proverb · Words worth keeping
All good things must come to an end.
All good things must come to an end.
Historical period not yet established
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
The saying gives every good thing an ending. It reminds a reader that an enjoyable situation may be temporary.
What the words are saying
All and must make the claim absolute. A qualified interpretation can appreciate a present experience without predicting when it ends or assuming every valuable relationship is doomed. An ending also does not erase the value something had.
Everyday example
Someone appreciates a meaningful occasion without trying to turn it into a guarantee of permanence.
When to use it
Use it to reflect on impermanence without forecasting a particular loss.
What it does not mean
No fixed ending time or inevitable failure of a specific relationship is established.
Agent-assisted editorial interpretation. This explains the words; it does not by itself verify their author or earliest origin.
Attribution & collection notes
- Author or tradition
- Traditional
Attribution: traditional - Country attributed
- Not established
A country attribution does not establish the earliest origin. - Historical period
- Historical period not yet established
No sufficiently supported historical placement has been established. Import and download dates are not treated as composition dates. - Recorded source
- Contributor-provided proverb reference
Supplied reference A; unit 670; PDF page 97
A collection's publication date can be later than the words it records.