--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The time is ripe, and rotten-ripe, for…" description: "\"The time is ripe, and rotten-ripe, for change.\" — James Russell Lowell" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/087/james-russell-lowell-561_change_the-time-is-ripe-and-rotten-ripe-for-cha_238479.png" --- # The time is ripe, and rotten-ripe, for change. ![“The time is ripe, and rotten-ripe, for change.” quote by James Russell Lowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/087/james-russell-lowell-561_change_the-time-is-ripe-and-rotten-ripe-for-cha_238479.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/087/james-russell-lowell-561_change_the-time-is-ripe-and-rotten-ripe-for-cha_238479.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/087/james-russell-lowell-561_change_the-time-is-ripe-and-rotten-ripe-for-cha_238479.png) > “The time is ripe, and rotten-ripe, for change.” [James Russell Lowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-russell-lowell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Change is both timely and decayed, urging action before it worsens. **In simple terms:** Change is urgent yet rotting. Key Takeaway Act before decay deepens. Themes change urgency decay Mood urgent reflective Type motivational political When to use this quote - Policy making - community organizing Key Concepts Social reform environmental activism Questions to Reflect On - What signs indicate change is needed? - How to overcome inertia? A Different Perspective Resistance may stall progress. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Society](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/society/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [ The time is ripe, and rotten-ripe, for change... \[Truth's\] mirror is turned forward, to reflect The promise of the future, not the past... ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-russell-lowell/the-time-is-ripe-and-rotten-ripe-for-change-truth-s-mirror-is-turned/) [James Russell Lowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-russell-lowell/) > [“Until we're rotten, we cannot be ripe.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/until-we-re-rotten-we-cannot-be-ripe/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The time is ripe, and rotten-ripe, for change; Then let it come: I have no dread of what Is called for by the instinct…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-russell-lowell/the-time-is-ripe-and-rotten-ripe-for-change-then-let-it-come-i-have/) [James Russell Lowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-russell-lowell/) > [The time is ripe for the whole region to live in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nabil-elaraby/the-time-is-ripe-for-the-whole-region-to-live-in-peace/) Nabil Elaraby > [The time is always ripe to do what is right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-roldan/the-time-is-always-ripe-to-do-what-is-right/) [Jerome Roldan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-roldan/) > [If the time is not ripe, we have to ripen the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-height/if-the-time-is-not-ripe-we-have-to-ripen-the-time/) [Dorothy Height](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-height/) > [“that the time is always ripe, that the place is here and the time is now.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johan-galtung/that-the-time-is-always-ripe-that-the-place-is-here-and-the-time-is/) [Johan Galtung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johan-galtung/) > [The time was ripe for Flower. The vibe was right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jody-watley/the-time-was-ripe-for-flower-the-vibe-was-right/) [Jody Watley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jody-watley/) > [Ah Fate, cannot a man Be wise without a beard? East, West, from Beer to Dan, Say, was it never heard That wisdom might…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/ah-fate-cannot-a-man-be-wise-without-a-beard-east-west-from-beer-to/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [We must use time wisely and forever realize that the time is always ripe to do right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/we-must-use-time-wisely-and-forever-realize-that-the-time-is-always/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [“We must use time creatively, and forever realize that the time is always ripe to do right.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/we-must-use-time-creatively-and-forever-realize-that-the-time-is-2/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [Spring comes with joyous laugh, and song, and sunshine, and the burnt sacrifice of the over-ripe boot and the hoary overshoe. The cowboy and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-wilson-nye/spring-comes-with-joyous-laugh-and-song-and-sunshine-and-the-burnt/) [Edgar Wilson Nye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-wilson-nye/) > [The online education space, especially in higher education, is ripe for disruption.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronnie-screwvala/the-online-education-space-especially-in-higher-education-is-ripe-for/) [Ronnie Screwvala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronnie-screwvala/) > [“Neither's the one you get, less you want me to see if your apple's ripe, yet. - Yoren”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/neither-s-the-one-you-get-less-you-want-me-to-see-if-your-apple-s/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [“On the third day, she smelled the fruit as soon as she came in. She followed the scent to the kitchen, and the peach…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allegra-goodman/on-the-third-day-she-smelled-the-fruit-as-soon-as-she-came-in-she/) [Allegra Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allegra-goodman/) ## More by James Russell Lowell > [We kind o' thought Christ went agin war an' pillage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-russell-lowell/we-kind-o-thought-christ-went-agin-war-an-pillage/) [James Russell Lowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-russell-lowell/) > [He gives only the worthless gold who gives from a sense of duty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-russell-lowell/he-gives-only-the-worthless-gold-who-gives-from-a-sense-of-duty/) [James Russell Lowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-russell-lowell/) > [As life runs on, the road grows strange with faces new - and near the end. The milestones into headstones change, Neath every one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-russell-lowell/as-life-runs-on-the-road-grows-strange-with-faces-new-and-near-the/) [James Russell Lowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-russell-lowell/) > [Where one person shapes their life by precept and example, there are a thousand who have shaped it by impulse and circumstances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-russell-lowell/where-one-person-shapes-their-life-by-precept-and-example-there-are-a/) [James Russell Lowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-russell-lowell/) > [Granting our wish is one of Fate's saddest jokes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-russell-lowell/granting-our-wish-is-one-of-fate-s-saddest-jokes/) [James Russell Lowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-russell-lowell/) > [Most religion-mongers have bated their paradises with a bit of toasted cheese. They have tempted the body with large promises of possessions in their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-russell-lowell/most-religion-mongers-have-bated-their-paradises-with-a-bit-of/) [James Russell Lowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-russell-lowell/) > [The thing we long for, that we are For one transcendent moment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-russell-lowell/the-thing-we-long-for-that-we-are-for-one-transcendent-moment/) [James Russell Lowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-russell-lowell/) > [O reputation! dearer far than life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-russell-lowell/o-reputation-dearer-far-than-life/) [James Russell Lowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-russell-lowell/) > [Keats longed for fame, but longed above all to deserve it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-russell-lowell/keats-longed-for-fame-but-longed-above-all-to-deserve-it/) [James Russell Lowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-russell-lowell/) > [It is beginning to be doubtful whether Parliament and Congress sit in Westminster and Washington, or in the editorial rooms of the leading journals,--so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-russell-lowell/it-is-beginning-to-be-doubtful-whether-parliament-and-congress-sit-in/) [James Russell Lowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-russell-lowell/) > [ \[B\]ut in literature, it should be remembered, a thing always becomes his at last who says it best, and thus makes it his own. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-russell-lowell/b-ut-in-literature-it-should-be-remembered-a-thing-always-becomes-his/) [James Russell Lowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-russell-lowell/) > [It may be glorious to write Thoughts that shall glad the two or three High souls, like those far stars that come in sight…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-russell-lowell/it-may-be-glorious-to-write-thoughts-that-shall-glad-the-two-or-three/) [James Russell Lowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-russell-lowell/) > [It is the vain endeavor to make ourselves what we are not that has strewn history with so many broken purposes and lives left…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-russell-lowell/it-is-the-vain-endeavor-to-make-ourselves-what-we-are-not-that-has/) [James Russell Lowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-russell-lowell/) > [Take winter as you find him, and he turns out to be a thoroughly honest fellow; with no nonsense in him, which is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-russell-lowell/take-winter-as-you-find-him-and-he-turns-out-to-be-a-thoroughly/) [James Russell Lowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-russell-lowell/) > [The intellect has only one failing, which, to be sure, is a very considerable one. It has no conscience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-russell-lowell/the-intellect-has-only-one-failing-which-to-be-sure-is-a-very/) [James Russell Lowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-russell-lowell/) [Explore all 471 James Russell Lowell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-russell-lowell/) ## More Change quotes > [Only within yourself exists the other reality for which you long. I can give you nothing that has not already its being within yourself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/only-within-yourself-exists-the-other-reality-for-which-you-long-i/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [“…progress isn't necessarily about change but about things turning out as we want them to”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-hogan/progress-isn-t-necessarily-about-change-but-about-things-turning-out/) Phil Hogan > [Nobody can tell me that no changes are necessary in Washington.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-weld/nobody-can-tell-me-that-no-changes-are-necessary-in-washington/) [William Weld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-weld/) > [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [When you walk down the street of Kabul your values for life changes, they do change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-pierre-white/when-you-walk-down-the-street-of-kabul-your-values-for-life-changes/) [Marco Pierre White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-pierre-white/) > [Your world will change whether or not you choose to change, but you have the power to choose it's direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/your-world-will-change-whether-or-not-you-choose-to-change-but-you/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [I hope I continue to evolve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-flair/i-hope-i-continue-to-evolve/) [Charlotte Flair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-flair/) > [“Stay focused on bringing people together and more on positive messaging so that you can be the change you wish to see in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/stay-focused-on-bringing-people-together-and-more-on-positive/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/) [Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/) > [“After the funeral, my life changed. I felt as if time were suddenly precious, water going down an open drain, and I could not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/after-the-funeral-my-life-changed-i-felt-as-if-time-were-suddenly/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [You practice mindfulness, on the one hand, to be calm and peaceful. On the other hand, as you practice mindfulness and live a life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-practice-mindfulness-on-the-one-hand-to-be-calm-and-peaceful-on/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Irish research will contribute to global progress and have the potential to help all countries realise the potential of their land sectors in addressing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enda-kenny/irish-research-will-contribute-to-global-progress-and-have-the/) [Enda Kenny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enda-kenny/) > [No man can change himself into anything from sheer reason; he can only change into what he potentially is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/no-man-can-change-himself-into-anything-from-sheer-reason-he-can-only/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) [Browse all 33,920 Change quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The time is ripe, and rotten-ripe, for change.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "James Russell Lowell" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-russell-lowell/the-time-is-ripe-and-rotten-ripe-for-change/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Change" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-russell-lowell/the-time-is-ripe-and-rotten-ripe-for-change/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/087/james-russell-lowell-561_change_the-time-is-ripe-and-rotten-ripe-for-cha_238479.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/087/james-russell-lowell-561_change_the-time-is-ripe-and-rotten-ripe-for-cha_238479.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/087/james-russell-lowell-561_change_the-time-is-ripe-and-rotten-ripe-for-cha_238479.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The time is ripe, and rotten-ripe, for change.” — James Russell Lowell", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "James Russell Lowell", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-russell-lowell/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The time is ripe, and rotten-ripe,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-russell-lowell/the-time-is-ripe-and-rotten-ripe-for-change/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-russell-lowell/the-time-is-ripe-and-rotten-ripe-for-change/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```