ProverbWisdomArabic origin

في التأني السلامة وفي العجلة الندامة (Fī t-taʾannī s-salāma wa-fī l-ʿajala n-nadāma)

Meaning: Taking your time is safe; rushing brings regret.

Literally: In patience lies safety, in haste regret

Example: “لا تتسرع في القرار. في التأني السلامة وفي العجلة الندامة.” — Don't rush the decision: look before you leap.

Equivalents in English, French, Spanish, Japanese, German, and 4 more languages

  • English: Look before you leap
  • French: Prudence est mère de sûreté (literally: Prudence is the mother of safety)
  • Spanish: Antes que te cases, mira lo que haces (literally: Before you marry, look at what you're doing)
  • Japanese: 石橋を叩いて渡る (Ishibashi wo tataite wataru) (literally: Cross the stone bridge after tapping it)
  • German: Erst wägen, dann wagen (literally: First weigh, then dare)
  • Dutch: Bezint eer gij begint (literally: Reflect before you begin)
  • Russian: Семь раз отмерь, один раз отрежь (Sem' raz otmer', odin raz otrezh') (literally: Measure seven times, cut once)
  • Chinese: 三思而行 (Sān sī ér xíng) (literally: Think three times, then act)
  • Korean: 돌다리도 두들겨 보고 건너라 (Doldarido dudeulgyeo bogo geonneora) (literally: Tap even a stone bridge before you cross)

Origin: Two balanced halves: in deliberation lies safety, in haste regret. Salāma and nadāma rhyme.

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