Time

The time of a man's life is as a point; the substance of it ever flowing, the sense obscure; and the whole composition of the body tending to corruption. His soul is restless, fortune uncertain, and fame doubtful; to be brief, as a stream so are all things belonging to the body; as a dream, or as a smoke, so are all that belong unto the soul. Our life is a warfare, and a mere pilgrimage. Fame after life is no better than oblivion. What is it then that will adhere and follow? Only one thing, philosophy.

— Stoicism · Meditations, 2.XV, tr. George Long, 1862 ↗

Remember withal that no man properly can be said to live more than that which is now present, which is but a moment of time. Whatsoever is besides either is already past, or uncertain. The time therefore that any man doth live, is but a little, and the place where he liveth, is but a very little corner of the earth, and the greatest fame that can remain of a man after his death, even that is but little.

— Stoicism · Meditations, 3.X, tr. George Long, 1862 ↗

If thou shouldst live three thousand, or as many as ten thousands of years, yet remember this, that man can part with no life properly, save with that little part of life, which he now lives: and that which he lives, is no other, than that which at every instant he parts with.

— Stoicism · Meditations, 2.XII, tr. George Long, 1862 ↗

And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

— Hebrew & Christian Bible · Bible, 1 John.1 John 2:17, tr. King James Version (1611/1769), 1611 ↗

But--higher, deeper, innermost--abides Another Life, not like the life of sense, Escaping sight, unchanging. This endures When all created things have passed away.

— Hinduism · Bhagavad Gita, 7.Chapter VIII, later section, tr. Edwin Arnold, 1885 ↗

Thou seest Me as Time who kills, Time who brings all to doom, The Slayer Time, Ancient of Days, come hither to consume

— Hinduism · Bhagavad Gita, 10.Chapter 10, Krishna's revelation, tr. Edwin Arnold, 1885 ↗

When things have attained their strong maturity they become old. This may be said to be not in accordance with the Tao: and what is not in accordance with it soon comes to an end.

— Taoism · Tao Te Ching, 25-32.30, tr. James Legge, 1891 ↗

When things have become strong, they (then) become old, which may be said to be contrary to the Tao. Whatever is contrary to the Tao soon ends.

— Taoism · Tao Te Ching, 49-56.55, tr. James Legge, 1891 ↗

Look upon the world as a bubble, look upon it as a mirage: the king of death does not see him who thus looks down upon the world.

— Buddhism · Dhammapada, 13.v.170, tr. F. Max Müller, 1881 ↗

The world does not know that we must all come to an end here;--but those who know it, their quarrels cease at once.

— Buddhism · Dhammapada, 1.v.6, tr. F. Max Müller, 1881 ↗

Before long, alas! this body will lie on the earth, despised, without understanding, like a useless log.

— Buddhism · Dhammapada, 3.v.41, tr. F. Max Müller, 1881 ↗

All on the earth shall pass away, But the face of thy Lord shall abide resplendent with majesty and glory.

— Qur’an · Qur'an, 55.55:26-27, tr. J. M. Rodwell, 1861 ↗

Through zeal knowledge is gotten, through lack of zeal knowledge is lost; let a man who knows this double path of gain and loss thus place himself that knowledge may grow.

— Buddhism · Dhammapada, 20.v.282, tr. F. Max Müller, 1881 ↗

The day is short, and the work is plentiful, and the laborers are indolent, and the reward is great, and the master of the house is insistent.

— Rabbinic Judaism · Pirkei Avot, 2.2:15, tr. Sefaria (CC-BY), 2024 ↗

Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.

— Hebrew & Christian Bible · Bible, Ecclesiastes.Ecclesiastes 9:10, tr. King James Version (1611/1769), 1611 ↗

It is high time for thee to understand the true nature both of the world, whereof thou art a part; and of that Lord and Governor of the world, from whom, as a channel from the spring, thou thyself didst flow: and that there is but a certain limit of time appointed unto thee, which if thou shalt not make use of to calm and allay the many distempers of thy soul, it will pass away and thou with it, and never after return.

— Stoicism · Meditations, 2.I, tr. George Long, 1862 ↗

Like a well-guarded frontier fort, with defences within and without, so let a man guard himself. Not a moment should escape, for they who allow the right moment to pass, suffer pain when they are in hell.

— Buddhism · Dhammapada, 22.v.315, tr. F. Max Müller, 1881 ↗

Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them.

— Hebrew & Christian Bible · Bible, Ecclesiastes.Ecclesiastes 12:1, tr. King James Version (1611/1769), 1611 ↗

Learn as if you could not reach your object, and were always fearing also lest you should lose it.

— Confucianism · Analects, 8.17, tr. James Legge, 1893 ↗

Every man's happiness depends from himself, but behold thy life is almost at an end, whiles affording thyself no respect, thou dost make thy happiness to consist in the souls, and conceits of other men.

— Stoicism · Meditations, 2.III, tr. George Long, 1862 ↗

Within a very little while, thou wilt be either ashes, or a sceletum; and a name perchance; and perchance, not so much as a name. And what is that but an empty sound, and a rebounding echo?... But still that time come, what will content thee? what else, but to worship and praise the Gods; and to do good unto men. To bear with them, and to forbear to do them any wrong.

— Stoicism · Meditations, 5.XXVII, tr. George Long, 1862 ↗

Men who have not observed proper discipline, and have not gained treasure in their youth, perish like old herons in a lake without fish.

— Buddhism · Dhammapada, 11.v.155, tr. F. Max Müller, 1881 ↗

Men who have not observed proper discipline, and have not gained treasure in their youth, lie, like broken bows, sighing after the past.

— Buddhism · Dhammapada, 11.v.156, tr. F. Max Müller, 1881 ↗

Contract thy whole life to the measure and proportion of one single action. And if in every particular action thou dost perform what is fitting to the utmost of thy power, let it suffice thee. And who can hinder thee, but that thou mayest perform what is fitting?

— Stoicism · Meditations, 8.XXX, tr. George Long, 1862 ↗

If a man hold himself dear, let him watch himself carefully; during one at least out of the three watches a wise man should be watchful.

— Buddhism · Dhammapada, 12.v.157, tr. F. Max Müller, 1881 ↗

Death carries off a man who is gathering flowers and whose mind is distracted, as a flood carries off a sleeping village.

— Buddhism · Dhammapada, 4.v.47, tr. F. Max Müller, 1881 ↗

`Here I shall dwell in the rain, here in winter and summer,' thus the fool meditates, and does not think of his death.

— Buddhism · Dhammapada, 20.v.286, tr. F. Max Müller, 1881 ↗

Death subdues a man who is gathering flowers, and whose mind is distracted, before he is satiated in his pleasures.

— Buddhism · Dhammapada, 4.v.48, tr. F. Max Müller, 1881 ↗

Death comes and carries off that man, praised for his children and flocks, his mind distracted, as a flood carries off a sleeping village.

— Buddhism · Dhammapada, 20.v.287, tr. F. Max Müller, 1881 ↗

They will say, 'We tarried a day, or part of a day.' God will say, 'Short indeed was the time ye tarried, if that ye knew it.'

— Qur’an · Qur'an, 23.23:113-114, tr. J. M. Rodwell, 1861 ↗

On the day when they shall see it, it shall seem to them as though they had not tarried in the tomb, longer than its evening or its morn.

— Qur’an · Qur'an, 84-77.79:46, tr. J. M. Rodwell, 1861 ↗

Saith he, 'Of this day didst thou live in heedlessness: but we have taken off thy veil from thee, and thy sight is becoming sharp this day.'

— Qur’an · Qur'an, 50.50:22, tr. J. M. Rodwell, 1861 ↗

The thirst of a thoughtless man grows like a creeper; he runs from life to life, like a monkey seeking fruit in the forest.

— Buddhism · Dhammapada, 24.v.334, tr. F. Max Müller, 1881 ↗

Dost thou grieve that thou dost weigh but so many pounds, and not three hundred rather? Just as much reason hast thou to grieve that thou must live but so many years, and not longer. For as for bulk and substance thou dost content thyself with that proportion of it that is allotted unto thee, so shouldst thou for time.

— Stoicism · Meditations, 6.XLIV, tr. George Long, 1862 ↗

One, that the things or objects themselves reach not unto the soul, but stand without still and quiet, and that it is from the opinion only which is within, that all the tumult and all the trouble doth proceed. The next, that all these things, which now thou seest, shall within a very little while be changed, and be no more. This world is mere change, and this life, opinion.

— Stoicism · Meditations, 4.III, tr. George Long, 1862 ↗

All things have we created after a fixed decree: Our command was but one word, swift as the twinkling of an eye.

— Qur’an · Qur'an, 54.54:49-50, tr. J. M. Rodwell, 1861 ↗

I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.

— Hebrew & Christian Bible · Bible, Ecclesiastes.Ecclesiastes 9:11, tr. King James Version (1611/1769), 1611 ↗

And surely the Future shall be better for thee than the Past, And in the end shall thy Lord be bounteous to thee and thou be satisfied.

— Qur’an · Qur'an, 93-104.93:4-5, tr. J. M. Rodwell, 1861 ↗

Verily, at the oncoming of night are devout impressions strongest, and words are most collected;

— Qur’an · Qur'an, 73.73:6, tr. J. M. Rodwell, 1861 ↗

Do not despise any man, and do not discriminate against anything, for there is no man that has not his hour, and there is no thing that has not its place.

— Rabbinic Judaism · Pirkei Avot, 4.4:3, tr. Sefaria (CC-BY), 2024 ↗

Serve God and fear Him, and obey me: Your sins will He forgive you, and respite you till the fixed Time; for when God's fixed Time hath come, it shall not be put back. Would that ye knew this!

— Qur’an · Qur'an, 71-76.71:3-4, tr. J. M. Rodwell, 1861 ↗

SAY: I know not whether that with which ye are threatened be nigh, or whether my Lord hath assigned it to a distant day: He knoweth the secret, nor doth He divulge his secret to any.

— Qur’an · Qur'an, 72.72:25-26, tr. J. M. Rodwell, 1861 ↗

Do not try to appease your friend during his hour of anger; Nor comfort him at the hour while his dead still lies before him; Nor question him at the hour of his vow; Nor strive to see him in the hour of his disgrace.

— Rabbinic Judaism · Pirkei Avot, 4.4:18, tr. Sefaria (CC-BY), 2024 ↗

When a man at forty is the object of dislike, he will always continue what he is.

— Confucianism · Analects, 17.26, tr. James Legge, 1893 ↗

Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them.

— Hebrew & Christian Bible · Bible, Ecclesiastes.Ecclesiastes 12:1, tr. King James Version (1611/1769), 1611 ↗

A man is not an elder because his head is grey; his age may be ripe, but he is called 'Old-in-vain.'

— Buddhism · Dhammapada, 19.v.260, tr. F. Max Müller, 1881 ↗

He in whom there is truth, virtue, love, restraint, moderation, he who is free from impurity and is wise, he is called an elder.

— Buddhism · Dhammapada, 19.v.261, tr. F. Max Müller, 1881 ↗

At fifteen, I had my mind bent on learning. At thirty, I stood firm. At forty, I had no doubts. At fifty, I knew the decrees of Heaven. At sixty, my ear was an obedient organ for the reception of truth. At seventy, I could follow what my heart desired, without transgressing what was right.

— Confucianism · Analects, 2.4, tr. James Legge, 1893 ↗

He is simply a man, who in his eager pursuit (of knowledge) forgets his food, who in the joy of its attainment forgets his sorrows, and who does not perceive that old age is coming on.

— Confucianism · Analects, 7.18, tr. James Legge, 1893 ↗

A man who has learnt little, grows old like an ox; his flesh grows, but his knowledge does not grow.

— Buddhism · Dhammapada, 11.v.152, tr. F. Max Müller, 1881 ↗

Him cause we to stoop through age whose days we lengthen. Will they not understand?

— Qur’an · Qur'an, 36.36:68, tr. J. M. Rodwell, 1861 ↗

And he who lives a hundred years, not seeing the highest law, a life of one day is better if a man sees the highest law.

— Buddhism · Dhammapada, 8.v.115, tr. F. Max Müller, 1881 ↗

More precious is one hour in repentance and good deeds in this world, than all the life of the world to come; And more precious is one hour of the tranquility of the world to come, than all the life of this world.

— Rabbinic Judaism · Pirkei Avot, 4.4:17, tr. Sefaria (CC-BY), 2024 ↗

Let no man think lightly of good, saying in his heart, It will not come nigh unto me. Even by the falling of water-drops a water-pot is filled; the wise man becomes full of good, even if he gather it little by little.

— Buddhism · Dhammapada, 9.v.122, tr. F. Max Müller, 1881 ↗

Let a wise man blow off the impurities of his self, as a smith blows off the impurities of silver one by one, little by little, and from time to time.

— Buddhism · Dhammapada, 18.v.239, tr. F. Max Müller, 1881 ↗

If by leaving a small pleasure one sees a great pleasure, let a wise man leave the small pleasure, and look to the great.

— Buddhism · Dhammapada, 21.v.290, tr. F. Max Müller, 1881 ↗

An evil deed, like newly-drawn milk, does not turn (suddenly); smouldering, like fire covered by ashes, it follows the fool.

— Buddhism · Dhammapada, 5.v.71, tr. F. Max Müller, 1881 ↗

Let no man think lightly of evil, saying in his heart, It will not come nigh unto me. Even by the falling of water-drops a water-pot is filled; the fool becomes full of evil, even if he gather it little by little.

— Buddhism · Dhammapada, 9.v.121, tr. F. Max Müller, 1881 ↗