If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together
Meaning: Short-term speed comes from solitude; long-term achievement comes from collaboration.
Origin: Widely quoted as an African proverb, but the proverb scholars Wolfgang Mieder and Charles Clay Doyle concluded that the African label is spurious. Others point to related African sayings, such as a Luo proverb from East Africa: alone a youth runs fast, with an elder slow, but together they go far. The exact modern wording has no traced source.
Equivalents in French, Spanish, Japanese, and German
- French: Si tu veux aller vite, va seul ; si tu veux aller loin, allez ensemble (literally: If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together)
- Spanish: Si quieres ir rápido, ve solo; si quieres llegar lejos, ve acompañado (literally: If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go with company)
- Japanese: 速く行きたければ一人で行け、遠くへ行きたければ一緒に行け (Hayaku ikitakereba hitori de ike, tōku e ikitakereba issho ni ike) (literally: If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together)
- German: Wenn du schnell gehen willst, geh allein; wenn du weit gehen willst, geht gemeinsam (literally: If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together)
More proverbs about Human Nature
- A bad workman always blames his tools — Incompetent people blame external factors for their failures instead of taking responsibi…
- Shared joy is a double joy; shared sorrow is half a sorrow — Happiness multiplies and burdens lighten when shared with others.
- A hungry stomach has no ears — People cannot focus on anything else when their most basic needs are unmet.
- The fish sees the bait but not the hook — People are often tempted by apparent benefits while ignoring the hidden dangers.
- What the eye doesn't see, the heart doesn't grieve over — We only suffer from what we know about; ignorance can sometimes bring a measure of peace.
- We are what we repeatedly do — Character and identity are shaped not by occasional acts but by consistent daily habits.
From our tongue twisters
- Dans ta tente ta tante t'attend. — A gentle 'ta / ten / tan / t'' warm-up that sounds faster than it reads.
- Seize chaises sèches sur seize arches sèches. — A relentless collision of 'sei', 'sèch', and 's' — the tongue can't find traction.
- Un beau ver vert dans un verre vert verra un ver vert. — Ver (worm), vert (green), and verre (glass) are near-homophones — distinguishing them at…