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A watched pot never boils

Meaning: Time seems to pass slowly when you are waiting.

Origin: English proverb attributed to Benjamin Franklin.

Translations

  • French: Un pot surveillé ne bout jamais (literally: A watched pot never boils)
  • Spanish: Quien espera, desespera (literally: He who waits, despairs)
  • Japanese: 待つ身は長い (Matsu mi wa nagai) (literally: Waiting feels long)

More proverbs about Human Nature

  • Beggars can't be choosers — When you need help, you accept what's offered.
  • It takes a village to raise a child — Community support is essential for child development.
  • One man's trash is another man's treasure — What one person discards, another may value.
  • Absence makes the heart grow fonder — Being apart makes you appreciate someone more.
  • There's no place like home — Home is where you feel most comfortable.
  • You can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink — You can offer help, but you can't force someone to accept it.

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