I expect to pass through this world but once. Any good, therefore, that I can do or any kindness I can show to any fellow creature, let me do it now. Let me not defer or neglect it for I shall not pass this way again.

The saying urges immediate, practical benevolence: because life is brief and our encounters are unrepeatable, moral action should not be postponed. Its structure moves from a memento mori (“but once”) to an ethical imperative (“let me do it now”), framing kindness as a duty owed to “any fellow creature,” not merely friends or co-religionists. The final line—“I shall not pass this way again”—adds urgency and a sense of singular opportunity: each moment to help is unique. The quote’s enduring appeal lies in translating abstract virtue into a concrete rule of conduct, emphasizing that delay can become a form of neglect.

1) “I shall pass through this world but once. Any good thing therefore that I can do, or any kindness that I can show to any human being, let me do it now. Let me not defer it, for I shall not pass this way again.”
2) “I expect to pass through this world but once; therefore any good that I can do, or any kindness that I can show to any fellow creature, let me do it now; let me not defer nor neglect it, for I shall not pass this way again.”