Is "This Too Shall Pass" in the Bible? The Honest Answer
No, "this too shall pass" is not in the Bible. It does not appear in the Old Testament, the New Testament, the Hebrew Tanakh, the Talmud, or the Midrash.
It is one of the most commonly misquoted sayings in English. People attribute it to Solomon, to Proverbs, to Ecclesiastes, and to Paul, and none of those are correct.
The real trail leads to 12th century Persian poetry, then into Jewish folklore, then into English through a Victorian poet.
Why so many people think it is scripture
Three things push it that way. It sounds biblical, it is attached to King Solomon in the popular version, and it shows up constantly in sermons and funerals.
Ecclesiastes is the usual guess, because that book really does deal with how everything is temporary. "To every thing there is a season" lands in similar territory. But the actual sentence is not there.
The other common guess is 2 Corinthians 4:17-18, which talks about affliction being light and momentary. Again, similar spirit, different words.
What the Bible does say that comes close
| Passage | What it says | Is it the phrase? |
|---|---|---|
| Ecclesiastes 3:1 | There is a season for everything | No. Related theme only |
| 2 Corinthians 4:17-18 | Affliction is light and momentary | No. Related theme only |
| Psalm 30:5 | Weeping may last the night, joy comes in the morning | No. Related theme only |
| Isaiah 40:8 | Grass withers, the word stands forever | No. Related theme only |
Each of these carries the same comfort. None of them is the sentence people are looking for.
Where it actually comes from
The oldest written versions are Persian, from the 12th century. Both Sanai and Attar of Nishapur record a fable about a king who asks his wise men for a ring that will make him happy when he is sad and sad when he is happy.
The sages give him a plain ring with the phrase etched into it. In Persian it is این نیز بگذرد.
Jewish tradition retold that fable with King Solomon in it, and many of those retellings sit in the Israel Folklore Archive at the University of Haifa. The full story is in our guide to the King Solomon ring.
How it reached English
The English poet Edward FitzGerald published a short retelling in 1852 and called it "Solomon's Seal." In his version a sultan asks Solomon for a motto that stays true in good times and bad, and Solomon answers "this too will pass away."
Walter Scott had already described the tale in an 1813 letter to Lord Byron. Abraham Lincoln retold it in an 1859 speech, and then pushed back on it, arguing that some good things should not pass away.
So the phrase entered English through poets and politicians, not through translators of scripture.
Does it being non-biblical make it less meaningful?
Not to most of the people who wear it. It survived nine centuries and four languages because it does something useful for a person in a hard moment.
It is also genuinely at home in Hebrew. Israelis say Gam Zeh Ya'avor, גַּם זֶה יַעֲבֹר, in ordinary daily conversation, the same way English speakers say "hang in there."
We are a Jewish owned shop and we engrave this phrase often. We would rather tell you the honest history than let you buy something on a wrong assumption.
If you want it in real Hebrew
The phrase engraves cleanly in Hebrew letterforms, and there is a shorthand version for smaller pieces. The acronym גַּזַ"י uses only the three opening letters.
Every Hebrew engraving we do is proofed before production so you see the actual letters at actual size first. That matters more than people expect, because Hebrew set too small stops being readable.
Our Eli Spinner Ring carries the Hebrew, the This Too Shall Pass bangle carries the English, and the full range sits in the This Too Shall Pass collection.
Common questions
What Bible verse is closest to "this too shall pass"?
Ecclesiastes 3:1 and 2 Corinthians 4:17-18 are the two usually offered. Both share the theme. Neither contains the phrase.
Did King Solomon really say it?
There is no text in which Solomon says it. He is the character in a folk story, and that story is centuries younger than he is.
Is "this too shall pass" Persian or Jewish?
Both traditions carry it. The oldest surviving written form is Persian. The Solomon version is Jewish folklore, and the phrase is fully at home in modern Hebrew.
What is "this too shall pass" in Hebrew?
גַּם זֶה יַעֲבֹר, said gahm zeh yah-ah-VOR. Our Hebrew guide covers spelling and vowels, and the meaning guide covers what it carries.
