- English translation
If this year brings no good, place your hope in the next.
- Literal wording
If one year passes you by, hope for another.
- Meaning and lesson
The saying counsels persistence after a hoped-for result fails to arrive. A missed opportunity, disappointing season, or unsuccessful effort need not end expectation; another time may offer a better outcome.
It frames patience as an alternative to despair. Rather than treating one bad turn as final, the speaker encourages someone to keep faith in future possibilities and continue looking ahead.
- When it is used
Use it to console or encourage a person after disappointment, especially when success depends on time, circumstances, or a new opportunity. It can gently urge patience without denying that the present setback is painful.
Cite or copy proverb
How this record reached us: Editorially sourced.
Report an issue with this meaning: If this year brings no good, place your hope in the next.