--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It will be short; the interim is mine…" description: "\"“It will be short; the interim is mine, And a man's life is no more than to say 'one.”\" — William Shakespeare" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/164/william-shakespeare-4_interim_it-will-be-short-the-interim-is-mine-and_489643.jpg" --- # It will be short; the interim is mine, And a man's life is… ![“It will be short; the interim is mine, And a man's life is no more than to say 'one.” quote by William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/164/william-shakespeare-4_interim_it-will-be-short-the-interim-is-mine-and_489643.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/164/william-shakespeare-4_interim_it-will-be-short-the-interim-is-mine-and_489643.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/164/william-shakespeare-4_interim_it-will-be-short-the-interim-is-mine-and_489643.jpg) > ““It will be short; the interim is mine, And a man's life is no more than to say 'one.”” [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Life is fleeting; we must make the most of our brief time. **In simple terms:** Life is brief; act now. Key Takeaway Seize the moment. Themes mortality impermanence purpose Mood reflective urgent Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - career decisions - personal goals - relationships Key Concepts Existentialism Carpe diem Questions to Reflect On - How will you honor your limited time? - What legacy will you leave? A Different Perspective Short time may not allow deep fulfillment. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Interim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interim/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Man's Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mans-life/) ## Related quotes > [I see a man's life is a tedious one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/i-see-a-man-s-life-is-a-tedious-one/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [And a man's life's no more than to say "One."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/and-a-man-s-life-s-no-more-than-to-say-one/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Between the acting of a dreadful thing And the first motion, all the interim is Like a phantasma or a hideous dream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/between-the-acting-of-a-dreadful-thing-and-the-first-motion-all-the-2/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“Between the acting of a dreadful thing And the first motion, all the interim is Like a phantasm or a hideous dream. The genius…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/between-the-acting-of-a-dreadful-thing-and-the-first-motion-all-the/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [I have not slept. Between the acting of a dreadful thing And the first motion, all the interim is Like a phantasma, or a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/i-have-not-slept-between-the-acting-of-a-dreadful-thing-and-the-first/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [It is fortune, not wisdom, that rules man's life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/it-is-fortune-not-wisdom-that-rules-man-s-life/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [What is a man's life but a prelude to his death? And what is death but a long sleep, a most welcome forgetfulness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/what-is-a-man-s-life-but-a-prelude-to-his-death-and-what-is-death-but/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [How good is man's life, the mere living! How fit to employ all the heart and the soul and the senses forever in joy!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-browning/how-good-is-man-s-life-the-mere-living-how-fit-to-employ-all-the/) [Robert Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-browning/) > [So soon did we, wayfarers, begin to learn that man's life is rounded with the same few facts, the same simple relations everywhere, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/so-soon-did-we-wayfarers-begin-to-learn-that-man-s-life-is-rounded/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“The Transitoriness of Life To what may man's life be compared? 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Friendship, family life and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/if-people-place-such-things-as-friendship-and-family-ties-above-their/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [Films and gramophone records, music, books and buildings show clearly how vigorously a man's life and work go on after his death, whether we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-bormann/films-and-gramophone-records-music-books-and-buildings-show-clearly/) [Martin Bormann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-bormann/) > [He said that whether a man's life was writ in a book someplace or whether it took its form day by day was one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cormac-mccarthy/he-said-that-whether-a-man-s-life-was-writ-in-a-book-someplace-or/) [Cormac McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cormac-mccarthy/) > [“A man's life is about keeping rules, breaking them, and making new ones.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ogwo-david-emenike/a-man-s-life-is-about-keeping-rules-breaking-them-and-making-new-ones/) [Ogwo David Emenike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ogwo-david-emenike/) ## More by William Shakespeare > [Let us kill all lawyers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/let-us-kill-all-lawyers/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [A horse, a horse, my kingdom for a horse!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/a-horse-a-horse-my-kingdom-for-a-horse/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [O tiger's heart wrapped in a woman's hide!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/o-tiger-s-heart-wrapped-in-a-woman-s-hide/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Divers philosophers hold that the lips is parcel of the mouth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/divers-philosophers-hold-that-the-lips-is-parcel-of-the-mouth/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Short time seems long in sorrow's sharp sustaining.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/short-time-seems-long-in-sorrow-s-sharp-sustaining/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“Love is a smoke made with the fume of sighs; Being purg'd, a fire sparkling in lovers' eyes; Being vex'd, a sea nourish'd with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/love-is-a-smoke-made-with-the-fume-of-sighs-being-purg-d-a-fire/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [I, measuring his affections by my own, Which then most sought where most might not be found, Being one too many by my weary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/i-measuring-his-affections-by-my-own-which-then-most-sought-where/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [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/) > [“Thou hast no figures nor no fantasies Which busy care draws in the brains of men; Therefore thou sleep’st so sound. Julius Caesar (2.1.248-251)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/thou-hast-no-figures-nor-no-fantasies-which-busy-care-draws-in-the/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Truth needs no color; beauty, no pencil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/truth-needs-no-color-beauty-no-pencil/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Have you not heard it said full oft, A woman's nay doth stand for naught?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/have-you-not-heard-it-said-full-oft-a-woman-s-nay-doth-stand-for/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Omittance is no quittance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/omittance-is-no-quittance/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“Yes, madam: yet I cannot choose but laugh, To think it should leave crying and say 'Ay.' And yet, I warrant, it had upon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/yes-madam-yet-i-cannot-choose-but-laugh-to-think-it-should-leave/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [I take thee at thy word: Call me but love, and I'll be new baptized; Henceforth I never will be Romeo.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/i-take-thee-at-thy-word-call-me-but-love-and-i-ll-be-new-baptized/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) [Explore all 5,604 William Shakespeare quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) ## More Interim quotes > [... The meeting is called by the U.S. to give their vision of the interim Iraqi authority. It will be a one-day meeting. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahmed-chalabi/the-meeting-is-called-by-the-u-s-to-give-their-vision-of-the-interim/) [Ahmed Chalabi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ahmed-chalabi/) > ["True science has no belief," says Dr. Fenwick, in Bulwer-Lytton's 'Strange Story;' "true science knows but three states of mind: denial, conviction, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-p-blavatsky/true-science-has-no-belief-says-dr-fenwick-in-bulwer-lytton-s-strange/) [H. P. Blavatsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-p-blavatsky/) > [Do not suffer interim losses, relish and appreciate them](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-klarman/do-not-suffer-interim-losses-relish-and-appreciate-them/) [Seth Klarman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-klarman/) > [The funny thing is that I'm not a planner. I have no idea what I want to do in the interim of that 50…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-bell/the-funny-thing-is-that-i-m-not-a-planner-i-have-no-idea-what-i-want/) [Kristen Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-bell/) > [An interim title is just a guarantee at a title shot. If I'm going to fight the best guys in the world, I want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-rockhold/an-interim-title-is-just-a-guarantee-at-a-title-shot-if-i-m-going-to/) [Luke Rockhold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-rockhold/) > [The Baptists believe in The Right to Life before you're born. They also believe in Life After Death, but that is a privilege and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-whitney-brown/the-baptists-believe-in-the-right-to-life-before-you-re-born-they/) [A. Whitney Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-whitney-brown/) > [Interim belt is made for media and fans, not for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-aldo/interim-belt-is-made-for-media-and-fans-not-for-me/) [Jose Aldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-aldo/) > [I have not slept. Between the acting of a dreadful thing And the first motion, all the interim is Like a phantasma, or a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/i-have-not-slept-between-the-acting-of-a-dreadful-thing-and-the-first/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [It's only an interim trip. I love the music, but it's really giving me a way in which I can comfortably explore my art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-fogelberg/it-s-only-an-interim-trip-i-love-the-music-but-it-s-really-giving-me/) [Dan Fogelberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-fogelberg/) > [“No, no, never send interim reports," said Miles. "Only final ones. Interim reports tend to elicit orders. Which you must then either obey, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lois-mcmaster-bujold/no-no-never-send-interim-reports-said-miles-only-final-ones-interim/) [Lois McMaster Bujold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lois-mcmaster-bujold/) > [There's a whole range of areas that we'll be looking at, so I'm not at this very early stage going to specify any particular…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theresa-may/there-s-a-whole-range-of-areas-that-we-ll-be-looking-at-so-i-m-not-at/) [Theresa May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theresa-may/) > [Most things are forgotten over time. Even the war itself, the life-and-death struggle people went through, is now like something from the distant past.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/most-things-are-forgotten-over-time-even-the-war-itself-the-life-and-2/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [A child is nothing like a racing car. . . . Souping up babies doesn't work that way. The child is what she is.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-chess/a-child-is-nothing-like-a-racing-car-souping-up-babies-doesn-t-work/) [Stella Chess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella-chess/) > [An interim report - that is what an autobiography is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-lessing/an-interim-report-that-is-what-an-autobiography-is/) [Doris Lessing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-lessing/) > [This is a story of a period between two World Wars — an interim in which insanity cut loose. Liberty took a nose dive,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-chaplin/this-is-a-story-of-a-period-between-two-world-wars-an-interim-in/) [Charlie Chaplin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-chaplin/) [Browse all 39 Interim quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interim/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“It will be short; the interim is mine, And a man's life is no more than to say 'one.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "William Shakespeare" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/it-will-be-short-the-interim-is-mine-and-a-man-s-life-is-no-more-than/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Interim" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/it-will-be-short-the-interim-is-mine-and-a-man-s-life-is-no-more-than/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/164/william-shakespeare-4_interim_it-will-be-short-the-interim-is-mine-and_489643.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/164/william-shakespeare-4_interim_it-will-be-short-the-interim-is-mine-and_489643.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/164/william-shakespeare-4_interim_it-will-be-short-the-interim-is-mine-and_489643.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It will be short; the interim is mine, And a man's life is no more than to say 'one.” — William Shakespeare", "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": "William Shakespeare", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“It will be short; the interim...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/it-will-be-short-the-interim-is-mine-and-a-man-s-life-is-no-more-than/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/it-will-be-short-the-interim-is-mine-and-a-man-s-life-is-no-more-than/#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 } } ] } ```