Omnia fert tempus, pariter rapit omnia tempus
“Time brings all things, and time takes all things away.”
Latin verse saying (cf. Virgil, Eclogues 9.51)
What does “Omnia fert tempus, pariter rapit omnia tempus” mean?
Omnia fert tempus, pariter rapit omnia tempus translates as “Time brings all things, and time takes all things away.”
Everything comes and goes with time.
“Omnia fert tempus, pariter rapit omnia tempus” word by word
| Latin | English | Grammar |
|---|---|---|
| Omnia | all things | accusative plural neuter of omnis, “all, every”; direct object of fert |
| fert | brings, carries | 3rd person singular present indicative active of fero, “I carry, bring” |
| tempus | time | nominative singular neuter of tempus, “time”; subject of fert |
| pariter | equally, in the same way, likewise | adverb, from par, “equal”; here it links the two halves of the line |
| rapit | snatches away, carries off | 3rd person singular present indicative active of rapio, “I seize, snatch” |
| omnia | all things | accusative plural neuter of omnis; direct object of rapit |
| tempus | time | nominative singular neuter of tempus; subject of rapit |
How to pronounce “Omnia fert tempus, pariter rapit omnia tempus”
The two systems sound almost the same here, since the line has no c or g before e or i. The only small difference is in the i of pariter, which some speakers shorten in the Classical system. Stress the first syllable of omnia, tempus and rapit, and the first syllable of pariter.
The story behind it
Word for word the line says “time brings all things, equally time snatches all things”. It is a single verse, built as a balanced pair: the same two words, omnia and tempus, appear in both halves, framing the thought of time giving and then taking.
The wording is a later Latin verse saying of traditional origin and has no single known author. It echoes a line of Virgil in the Ninth Eclogue, omnia fert aetas, “age carries all things away”, where the old speaker Moeris laments that time has stolen even his songs.
The saying has lived on in proverb collections and sundial mottoes, since it fits the theme of passing time. Today it is quoted as a short reflection on change, loss and the fact that nothing stays as it is.
How to use “Omnia fert tempus, pariter rapit omnia tempus”
Fits a sundial or clock inscription, a card for a birthday, an anniversary or a farewell, a reflective essay on change, or a tattoo for someone who wants a calm reminder that good and bad times both pass.
- Latin
- Omnia fert tempus, pariter rapit omnia tempus
- English
- Time brings all things, and time takes all things away.
- Source
- Latin verse saying (cf. Virgil, Eclogues 9.51)
- Era
- Traditional
- Theme
- Time
Common mistakes
- It is not a line of Virgil. Only the idea and the phrase omnia fert aetas come from him; this wording is a later verse saying.
- Fert and rapit are present tense, so the line states a general truth. It does not mean “time brought” or “will take”.
- Tempus is the subject in both halves and omnia the object. Reading omnia as the subject (“all things bring time”) reverses the meaning.
- Do not mix it up with “Tempus fugit” (“time flies”), which is a different saying, from Virgil’s Georgics 3.284.
Questions about “Omnia fert tempus, pariter rapit omnia tempus”
What does “Omnia fert tempus, pariter rapit omnia tempus” mean literally?
“Time carries all things, equally time snatches all things away.” In natural English: time gives everything and takes everything.
Who said “Omnia fert tempus”?
No author is known. It is a traditional Latin verse saying that echoes Virgil’s “omnia fert aetas” from Eclogues 9.51, but the wording here is later.
How do you pronounce “Omnia fert tempus”?
In Classical Latin: OM-nee-ah fert TEM-poos. The first syllable of omnia and of tempus carries the stress.
Is “Omnia fert tempus, pariter rapit omnia tempus” good Latin for a tattoo?
Yes, the grammar is sound and the line is a well-formed verse. Just keep the exact word order and spelling, and do not shorten it to “Omnia fert tempus” alone if you want both halves of the idea.
More to explore
Translation and grammar checked by Latin Quoter · last reviewed November 2026
Related Latin quotes
One Latin line. Every Monday.
A quote, its translation and the story behind it, free in your inbox.