expression
a person's worth is assessed only when their coffin is sealed
Proverb meaning that a person's true value or character cannot be fully judged until after their death, when their life can be seen as a whole.
棺を蓋いて事定まるというように、彼の評価は死後に高まった。
As the saying goes, a person's worth is assessed only when their coffin is sealed; his reputation rose after his death.
A classical Japanese proverb of uncertain exact origin, literally meaning 'when the coffin is closed, the matter is settled.'