Doing nothing is the hardest work.

Meaning: Idleness demands constant mental struggle against restlessness and guilt, making it paradoxically more exhausting than productive labor.

Origin: From 'A Dictionary of English Proverbs and Proverbial Phrases' (1870). Public domain.

More proverbs about Perseverance

• Old friends to meet, old wine to drink, and old wood to burn. — Cherished relationships and familiar comforts—people, drinks, and fires—improve with time…
• Old friends and old wine are best. — Enduring relationships and tried experiences improve with time, unlike novelty which ofte…
• Once well done is twice done. — Completing work carefully the first time eliminates the need for costly, time-consuming c…
• None is so wise but the fool overtakes him sometimes. — Even the cleverest person occasionally errs, while chance may grant unexpected advantage…
• Pardon all men, but never thyself. — Holding yourself to stricter standards than others builds personal integrity through self…
• Patience is a flower that grows not in every one's garden. — Not everyone possesses the inner discipline to cultivate patience; it requires deliberate…

← Back to Proverbs

Loading the full interactive collection…