1.
all's well that ends well
A proverb meaning that as long as the final outcome is good, any difficulties or problems along the way can be forgiven or forgotten.
終わりよければすべてよしだ。
All's well that ends well.
途中いろいろあったけど、終わりよければすべてよしだよ。
There were various things along the way, but all's well that ends well.
失敗もあったが、最後は成功した。終わりよければすべてよしということだ。
There were failures, but it succeeded in the end. All's well that ends well, as they say.
A well-known Japanese proverb equivalent to the English "all's well that ends well." The structure breaks down as: 終わり (ending) + よければ (if good) + すべて (everything) + よし (is good).
USAGE:
Used to console or encourage after a difficult process that ultimately turned out well. Often said with a sense of relief when looking back on hardships. Can also be used to brush off complaints about methods when the final result is satisfactory.
VARIATIONS:
- 終わりよければ全てよし: same proverb with kanji for すべて
- 終わり良ければ全て良し: fully kanji version
RELATED PROVERBS:
- 果報は寝て待て: good things come to those who wait
- 急いては事を仕損じる: haste makes waste — conveys the opposite lesson about process mattering