The fairest rose at last is withered.
Meaning: Even the most beautiful things inevitably decline and fade with time.
Origin: Recorded in A Dictionary of English Proverbs and Proverbial Phrases, an undated collection published in London by Whittaker & Co. around 1880 and credited to Thomas Preston. Its earlier history hasn't been traced.
More proverbs about Morality
- Set the saddle on the right horse. — Choose the person best suited for the task rather than wasting effort on unsuitable candi…
- Everything is good in its season. — Timing determines value—what flourishes in spring withers in winter, and forcing things o…
- None but fools and fiddlers sing at their meat. — Eating while singing wastes attention on both nourishment and music, showing poor judgmen…
- Sorrow and bad weather come unsent for. — Misfortune arrives without invitation, so accepting its inevitability brings more peace t…
- Sorrow is good for nothing but sin. — Dwelling in grief without purpose breeds despair that leads to destructive choices.
- He goes a-sorrowing, who goes a-borrowing. — Debt burdens the borrower with anxiety and obligation that outweighs the temporary relief…
From our idioms
- dot the i's and cross the t's — To be very careful and attentive to detail.
- down and out — Poor.
- down in the dumps — Depressed.