Literal translation
the world is a ladder that goes up, that goes down
Meaning
the world is a ladder, some climb up, some come down
Explanation
This saying compares human existence, or more broadly the course of things, to a ladder on which everyone goes up or down according to the movement of their fortune. The word for world, denoting both the universe and the people who make it up, could not be found directly under this exact form in our sources, though its meaning is obvious from context. The verb to climb, in the sense of ascending, is well attested, while the verb to go down, in the form used here, could not be directly verified, despite a related form meaning to go back down. The image of the ladder conveys the unstable, ever changing nature of destiny: no one holds a fixed position forever, everyone experiences, in turn, moments of rise and moments of fall, whether in fortune, social standing, or simple mood. The saying thus calls for modesty in success as much as hope in adversity, since one's present position, good or bad, is never final. The register is philosophical and proverbial, fit for meditation on the common lot of humankind.