This Too Shall Pass Meaning in Urdu- Translation and Significance
What Does "This Too Shall Pass" Mean?
The phrase "This too shall pass" is one of those sayings people throw around when you're hurting. It sounds simple. It isn't.
At its core, it means everything in life is temporary. The good times, the bad times, the unbearable moments, the celebrations—none of it lasts. This isn't optimism. It's physics.
Nothing stays. That's the whole deal.
"This Too Shall Pass" in Urdu
The Urdu translation is:
یہ بھی گزر جائے گا
Transliteration: Yeh bhi guzar jayega
Literal meaning: "This too will pass away"
In Urdu poetry and conversation, this phrase carries the same weight as the English version. It acknowledges pain without promising quick relief. The person saying it isn't telling you to feel better. They're stating a fact.
Other Urdu Equivalents
- وقت کے ساتھ سب کچھ بدل جاتا ہے — Everything changes with time
- ہر دکھ کا اثار ہوتا ہے — Every sorrow has an end
- آسمان کبھی مستقل نہیں رہتا — The sky never stays the same
The History Behind the Phrase
Most people attribute this to Persian Sufi poets. The most famous version comes from a story about a Persian king who asked his wise men for a ring that would make him sad when happy and happy when sad.
The ring worked. The king hated it. His servants tricked him into getting a new ring that did the opposite. When he realized what happened, the wise man revealed the inscription: "This too shall pass."
The story is probably apocryphal. But the message isn't.
Why This Phrase Actually Matters
People hate this phrase when they're suffering. It feels dismissive. Like someone telling you "it could be worse" when you're already at rock bottom.
But that's not what the phrase is about.
When You're in Pain
Your brain tells you the suffering is permanent. It's not. The body adapts. Situations change. People leave, new ones arrive. Your current reality is not your final reality.
This isn't a reason to smile. It's a reason to wait.
When You're Happy
Here's where people get lazy. They apply "this too shall pass" to suffering but forget it applies to joy too.
That promotion, that relationship, that moment of peace—it's scheduled to end. Not because life is cruel. Because that's how time works.
If you only remember this phrase during hard times, you're using it as a crutch. That's not wisdom. That's avoidance.
The Real Significance
Here's what most self-help articles skip over: knowing something is temporary doesn't make it easier.
Understanding that your grief will end doesn't stop the grief right now. Understanding that happiness fades doesn't ruin your present joy.
The value isn't emotional. It's practical.
| State | Duration | What "This Too Shall Pass" Tells You |
|---|---|---|
| Breakup / Loss | Months to years | The sharpness dulls. You adapt. The wound becomes a scar. |
| Career Failure | Weeks to months | Opportunities reopen. You rebuild or pivot. |
| Financial Crisis | Variable | Income changes. Debts get paid. Situations shift. |
| Success / Achievement | Weeks to years | Enjoy it. Don't build your identity around it. |
| Physical Illness | Days to lifetime | Some conditions are permanent. But symptoms fluctuate. |
How to Actually Use This Phrase
Most people say it and move on. That's useless. Here's how to make it work:
1. Name the Temporary State
Don't just think "this will pass." Specify what this is. "This job interview anxiety will pass." "This loneliness will pass." "This financial stress will pass."
Vague thinking keeps you stuck. Concrete thinking creates distance between you and the problem.
2. Set a Time Boundary
Ask yourself: "How long will this actually last?"
Most suffering feels infinite. Most situations have a natural endpoint. A bad project ends. A difficult season ends. A relationship that isn't working eventually forces a decision.
3. Stop Using It as an Escape
If you're only saying "this too shall pass" to avoid dealing with something, you're not using the phrase correctly.
Some things that are temporary require your action to change. A bad job won't leave on its own. A toxic relationship won't resolve without intervention.
The phrase isn't "this too shall pass on its own."
What It Doesn't Mean
- It doesn't mean you should wait passively for everything to fix itself
- It doesn't mean suffering is character-building or has inherent purpose
- It doesn't mean happiness is an illusion to be avoided
- It doesn't mean nothing matters because everything ends
The Bottom Line
"This too shall pass" is not comfort. It's not inspiration. It's a description of how reality works.
Use it to gain perspective during overwhelming moments. Use it to stay grounded during good times. But don't mistake it for a solution.
The phrase tells you things change. It doesn't tell you what to do about it. That's on you.