ups and downs of life; vicissitudes of fortune
A yojijukugo (four-character idiom) expressing the rise and fall of all things, especially human affairs and fortunes. Often used in reflective or literary contexts.
The ups and downs of life are the way of the world.
歴史を振り返ると、栄枯盛衰の繰り返しに気づく。
Looking back at history, one notices the repeated vicissitudes of fortune.