An ancient legend about King Solomon says that he had a magic ring on which it was allegedly written: "This too will pass." According to one version, when the king looked at the ring and read this phrase, it helped him make wise decisions. The ring of King Solomon is surrounded by many mysteries. There are at least three versions as to what was actually written on the ring.
The history of the ring
King Solomon of Judah allegedly suffered from frequent mood swings. Once he gathered a council of wise men and asked to make him a magic ring. Then the sages presented him with a ring with the inscription "This too will pass."
The parable of the ring with the inscription is just one of the versions of the story in which, in one way or another, the saying is attributed to King Solomon. In other versions of the parable, the king is confused and shocked by the simple words of the sages. In Jewish folklore, Solomon often says or hears this saying.
There are versions about the ring of Solomon, on which the name of God was written, framed by four precious stones. In later versions, the ring is adorned with the Star of David, a six-pointed star often inscribed in a circle.
There are versions in which a pentagram is depicted on the ring.
Origin of the utterance
There is a popular misconception that the aphorism is of biblical origin. This is not the case, although the Epistle to the Corinthians does say that everything on earth is temporary. This "temporary" refers to human suffering. But there are no exact words "This too will pass" in the Bible.
This is Sufi wisdom, an expression that can be found in the works of medieval Persian poets. This expression is very often found in Hebrew and Turkish. The saying originated in the medieval Levant around the 13th century.
Thanks to the Sufi poet Attar from Nishapur, a version of the Persian king appeared, who asked the sages to name one phrase that could be said in any situation and anywhere. After consulting, they said: "This, too, will pass." The king was so shocked that he wrote a dictum on his ring.
The dictum was very popular in the early 19th century in England, when it appeared in a collection of fairy tales written by the English poet Edward Fitzgerald.
The aphorism was used in his speech by Abraham Lincoln shortly before his presidency.
The phrase is often found in Turkish folklore: in short stories and songs. To this day, this proverb is used very often in Turkish. She can also be seen on Jewish silver rings.
The meaning of the aphorism
This saying came from the general biblical teaching that all material things in this world are transient. Both good and bad will someday pass. The phrase also implies that change is the only constant in the universe. The ability of these words to make a sad person happy and happy sad comes from the understanding that there are no good or bad times.
