Never give up, for that is just the place and time that the tide will turn.

The saying urges perseverance at the very moment discouragement feels most justified. Its logic is paradoxical: the point at which one is most tempted to quit may coincide with an imminent change in circumstances (“the tide will turn”). The metaphor of the tide frames adversity as cyclical rather than permanent, implying that effort and patience can carry a person through a low ebb until conditions improve. As a piece of motivational counsel, it emphasizes endurance over prediction—since one cannot know when fortune will shift, the safest strategy is to continue. The line is often used to encourage resilience in personal trials, reform efforts, or long campaigns where progress is slow and setbacks are common.