A watched clock never moves
Meaning: Time seems slower when you're focused on it.
Origin: Variant of the 'watched pot' proverb, popularized in the 20th century.
Translations
- French: Le temps semble long quand on l'attend (literally: Time feels long when you wait for it)
- Spanish: El tiempo se detiene cuando lo miras (literally: Time stops when you watch it)
- Japanese: 時計を見続けると時間は止まる (Tokei wo mitsuzukeru to jikan wa tomaru) (literally: If you keep watching the clock, time stops)
More proverbs about Human Nature
- Hunger is the best sauce — Food tastes better when you're truly hungry.
- The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world — Mothers have profound influence on society.
- No news is good news — The absence of bad news is itself good news.
- Every man for himself — In crisis, everyone must look after their own interests.
- No man is an island — Humans need connection with others.
- Beggars on horseback — Those given power abuse it worst.
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