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A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor

Meaning: Hardship and challenges are what build true expertise and resilience.

Origin: English proverb, widely attributed to Franklin D. Roosevelt in the 20th century.

Translations

  • French: Une mer calme n'a jamais fait un bon marin (literally: A calm sea never made a good sailor)
  • Spanish: Un mar en calma nunca hizo un marinero experto (literally: A calm sea never made an expert sailor)
  • Japanese: 穏やかな海では優れた船乗りは育たない (Odayaka na umi de wa sugureta funanori wa sodatanai) (literally: A skilled sailor is not raised in a calm sea)

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