--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: All things have their ends and cycles…" description: "\"All things have their ends and cycles. And when they have reached their highest point, they are in their lowest ruin, for they cannot last for long in ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e1f/francois-rabelais-2038_all-things_all-things-have-their-ends-and-cycles-an_2829775.png" --- # All things have their ends and cycles. And when they have… ![“All things have their ends and cycles. And when they have reached their highest point, they are in their lowest ruin, for they cannot last for long in such a state. Such is the end for those who cannot moderate their fortune and prosperity with reason and temperance.” quote by Francois Rabelais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e1f/francois-rabelais-2038_all-things_all-things-have-their-ends-and-cycles-an_2829775.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e1f/francois-rabelais-2038_all-things_all-things-have-their-ends-and-cycles-an_2829775.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e1f/francois-rabelais-2038_all-things_all-things-have-their-ends-and-cycles-an_2829775.png) > “All things have their ends and cycles. And when they have reached their highest point, they are in their lowest ruin, for they cannot last for long in such a state. Such is the end for those who cannot moderate their fortune and prosperity with reason and temperance.” [Francois Rabelais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-rabelais/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. All things rise and fall; without temperance, prosperity leads to ruin. **In simple terms:** Rise and fall require balance. Key Takeaway Practice moderation in success. Themes cycles fortune temperance reason moderation Mood cautious reflective Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - wealth management - career peaks - personal health Key Concepts philosophy economics ethics Questions to Reflect On - How do you maintain balance in success? - What signs warn of impending decline? A Different Perspective Excess can be managed with external controls. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [All things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/all-things/) [Cycles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cycles/) [End Moderate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/end-moderate-3649427/) [Ends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ends/) [Ends Cycles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ends-cycles-3649426/) [Fortune](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fortune/) [Highest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/highest/) [Humility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humility/) [Lasts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lasts/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Lowest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lowest/) [Moderates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moderates/) [Moderation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moderation/) [Prosperity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prosperity/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Reason Temperance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason-temperance-3649428/) [Ruins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ruins/) [States](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/states/) [Temperance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/temperance/) [Things Ends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/things-ends-785678/) ## Related quotes > [“On the mainland he had always lived in the future, always looking forward to the completion of the project in hand. When he passed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-herley/on-the-mainland-he-had-always-lived-in-the-future-always-looking/) [Richard Herley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-herley/) > [This is that rest this vain world lends, To end in death that all things ends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-daniel/this-is-that-rest-this-vain-world-lends-to-end-in-death-that-all/) [Samuel Daniel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-daniel/) > [Cupidity...takes created things for ends in themselves, which they are not. The will that seeks rest in creatures for their own sake stops on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/cupidity-takes-created-things-for-ends-in-themselves-which-they-are/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [Men live best on moderate means: Nature has dispensed to all men wherewithal to be happy, if mankind did but understand how to use…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudius-claudianus/men-live-best-on-moderate-means-nature-has-dispensed-to-all-men/) [Claudius Claudianus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claudius-claudianus/) > [Every moderate drinker could abandon the intoxicating cup if he would; every inebriate would if he could.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bartholomew-gough/every-moderate-drinker-could-abandon-the-intoxicating-cup-if-he-would/) [John Bartholomew Gough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bartholomew-gough/) > [Virtues are formed by prayer. Prayer preserves temperance. Prayer suppresses anger. Prayer prevents emotions of pride and envy. Prayer draws into the soul the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/virtues-are-formed-by-prayer-prayer-preserves-temperance-prayer/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“And therefore if the head and the body are to be well, you must begin by curing the soul; that is the first and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/and-therefore-if-the-head-and-the-body-are-to-be-well-you-must-begin/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [I neither drink nor smoke, because my schoolmaster impressed upon me three cardinal virtues; cleanliness in person, cleanliness in mind; temperance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burns/i-neither-drink-nor-smoke-because-my-schoolmaster-impressed-upon-me/) [John Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burns/) > [If true, the Pythagorean principles as to abstain from flesh, foster innocence; if ill-founded they at least teach us frugality, and what loss have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/if-true-the-pythagorean-principles-as-to-abstain-from-flesh-foster/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [Let us avoid debt as we would avoid a plague...Let every head of every household see to it that he has on hand enough…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-reuben-clark/let-us-avoid-debt-as-we-would-avoid-a-plague-let-every-head-of-every/) [J. Reuben Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-reuben-clark/) > [For both excessive and insufficient exercise destroy one's strength, and both eating and drinking too much or too little destroy health, whereas the right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/for-both-excessive-and-insufficient-exercise-destroy-one-s-strength/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [The Democratic party of Florida has put a temperance plank in its platform and the Republican party of every state would nail that plank…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-sunday/the-democratic-party-of-florida-has-put-a-temperance-plank-in-its/) [Billy Sunday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-sunday/) > [There is no difference between knowledge and temperance; for he who knows what is good and embraces it, who knows what is bad and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/socrates/there-is-no-difference-between-knowledge-and-temperance-for-he-who/) [Socrates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/socrates/) > [You must teach yourself how to eat less, but with discernment, insofar as your work allows. The measure of temperance should be such that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/silouan-the-athonite/you-must-teach-yourself-how-to-eat-less-but-with-discernment-insofar/) [Silouan the Athonite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/silouan-the-athonite/) > [Ask God for temp'rance. That's th' appliance only Which your disease requires.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/ask-god-for-temp-rance-that-s-th-appliance-only-which-your-disease/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) ## More by Francois Rabelais > [Time, which wears down and diminishes all things, augments and increases good deeds, because a good turn liberally offered to a reasonable man grows…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-rabelais/time-which-wears-down-and-diminishes-all-things-augments-and/) [Francois Rabelais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-rabelais/) > [If in your soil it takes, to heaven A thousand thousand thanks be given; And say with France, it goodly goes, Where the Pantagruelion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-rabelais/if-in-your-soil-it-takes-to-heaven-a-thousand-thousand-thanks-be/) [Francois Rabelais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-rabelais/) > [A child is not a vase to be filled, but a fire to be lit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-rabelais/a-child-is-not-a-vase-to-be-filled-but-a-fire-to-be-lit/) [Francois Rabelais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-rabelais/) > [A certain jollity of mind, pickled in the scorn of fortune.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-rabelais/a-certain-jollity-of-mind-pickled-in-the-scorn-of-fortune/) [Francois Rabelais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-rabelais/) > [Indeed, said the monk, a mass, a matins, and vespers well rung are half-said.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-rabelais/indeed-said-the-monk-a-mass-a-matins-and-vespers-well-rung-are-half/) [Francois Rabelais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-rabelais/) > [I do not drink more than a sponge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-rabelais/i-do-not-drink-more-than-a-sponge/) [Francois Rabelais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-rabelais/) > [ I recognize in \[my readers\] a specific form and individual property, which our predecessors called Pantagruelism, by means of which they never take anything… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-rabelais/i-recognize-in-my-readers-a-specific-form-and-individual-property/) [Francois Rabelais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-rabelais/) > [Tell the truth and shame the devil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-rabelais/tell-the-truth-and-shame-the-devil/) [Francois Rabelais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-rabelais/) > [Half the world does not know how the other half lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-rabelais/half-the-world-does-not-know-how-the-other-half-lives/) [Francois Rabelais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-rabelais/) > [But where are the snows of last year? That was the greatest concern of Villon, the Parisian poet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-rabelais/but-where-are-the-snows-of-last-year-that-was-the-greatest-concern-of/) [Francois Rabelais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-rabelais/) > [The Lord forbid that I should be out of debt, as if indeed I could not be trusted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-rabelais/the-lord-forbid-that-i-should-be-out-of-debt-as-if-indeed-i-could-not/) [Francois Rabelais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-rabelais/) > [Science sans conscience n' est que le ruine de l'âme. Knowledge without conscience is but the ruine of the soule.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-rabelais/science-sans-conscience-n-est-que-le-ruine-de-l-me-knowledge-without/) [Francois Rabelais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-rabelais/) > [I've often heard it said, as the common proverb goes, that a fool can teach a wise man well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-rabelais/i-ve-often-heard-it-said-as-the-common-proverb-goes-that-a-fool-can/) [Francois Rabelais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-rabelais/) > [One falls to the ground in trying to sit on two stools.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-rabelais/one-falls-to-the-ground-in-trying-to-sit-on-two-stools/) [Francois Rabelais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-rabelais/) > [Go, all of you poor people, in the name of God the Creator, and let him forever be your guide. And henceforth, do not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-rabelais/go-all-of-you-poor-people-in-the-name-of-god-the-creator-and-let-him/) [Francois Rabelais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-rabelais/) [Explore all 184 Francois Rabelais quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-rabelais/) ## More All things quotes > [Those whose life is long still strive for gain, and for all mortals all things take second place to money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/those-whose-life-is-long-still-strive-for-gain-and-for-all-mortals/) [Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/) > [To explicate the uses of the Brain seems as difficult a task as to paint the Soul, of which it is commonly said, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-willis/to-explicate-the-uses-of-the-brain-seems-as-difficult-a-task-as-to/) [Thomas Willis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-willis/) > [A tree is a self: it is 'unseen shaping' more than it is leaves or bark, roots or cellulose or fruit ... What this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-swimme/a-tree-is-a-self-it-is-unseen-shaping-more-than-it-is-leaves-or-bark/) [Brian Swimme](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-swimme/) > [Dear God, I trust that no matter what happens in my life, it is for my highest good. And no matter what happens in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-jeffers/dear-god-i-trust-that-no-matter-what-happens-in-my-life-it-is-for-my/) [Susan Jeffers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-jeffers/) > [Moderation, honey, in all things but love and chocolate. That's my motto.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-bretton/moderation-honey-in-all-things-but-love-and-chocolate-that-s-my-motto/) [Barbara Bretton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-bretton/) > [There is a spirit which I feel that delights to do no evil, nor to revenge any wrong, but delights to endure all things,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-nayler/there-is-a-spirit-which-i-feel-that-delights-to-do-no-evil-nor-to/) [James Nayler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-nayler/) > [What greater weakness can there be than not to know what is the source of one's being, of one's life, of one's senses, of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/what-greater-weakness-can-there-be-than-not-to-know-what-is-the/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [When I was in my teens I had a series of intensely religious experiences. They deepened my sense of God as the creator of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-linzey/when-i-was-in-my-teens-i-had-a-series-of-intensely-religious/) [Andrew Linzey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-linzey/) > [It is more than a little ironic that "capital accumulation" once a rather tendentious Marxian view of a supposed capitalist obsession, should have become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kuttner/it-is-more-than-a-little-ironic-that-capital-accumulation-once-a/) [Robert Kuttner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kuttner/) > [The Lord gives and the Lord takes away, as it pleases him, for he can do all things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/the-lord-gives-and-the-lord-takes-away-as-it-pleases-him-for-he-can/) [Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/) > [Time, which wears down and diminishes all things, augments and increases good deeds, because a good turn liberally offered to a reasonable man grows…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-rabelais/time-which-wears-down-and-diminishes-all-things-augments-and/) [Francois Rabelais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-rabelais/) > [Standing as a witness in all things means being kind in all things, being the first to say hello, being the first to smile,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-d-nadauld/standing-as-a-witness-in-all-things-means-being-kind-in-all-things/) [Margaret D. Nadauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-d-nadauld/) > [The eternal principle, which never was born, never will die: it is in all things: it is in you now. You are the wave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-campbell/the-eternal-principle-which-never-was-born-never-will-die-it-is-in/) [Joseph Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-campbell/) > [The U.S. Army has recently removed the cross from the insignia worn by chaplains. In its place is a sun with its rays, symbolizing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-murray/the-u-s-army-has-recently-removed-the-cross-from-the-insignia-worn-by/) [Chris Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-murray/) > [...God does not possess a private knowledge of Himself and a separate knowledge of all the creatures in common. The universal Cause, by knowing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-dionysius/god-does-not-possess-a-private-knowledge-of-himself-and-a-separate/) [Pope Dionysius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-dionysius/) [Browse all 2,486 All things quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/all-things/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "All things have their ends and cycles. And when they have reached their highest point, they are in their lowest ruin, for they cannot last for long in such a state. 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