ProverbPerseveranceFrench origin

L'avenir appartient à ceux qui se lèvent tôt

Meaning: Early risers, and hard workers in general, are the ones who succeed.

Literally: The future belongs to those who wake up early

Example: “Il ouvre sa boulangerie à cinq heures tous les matins. L'avenir appartient à ceux qui se lèvent tôt.” — He opens his bakery at five every morning: the early bird catches the worm.

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

  • English: The early bird catches the worm
  • Spanish: Al que madruga, Dios le ayuda (literally: God helps those who rise early)
  • Japanese: 早起きは三文の徳 (Hayaoki wa sanmon no toku) (literally: Waking early is worth three coins)
  • German: Morgenstund hat Gold im Mund (literally: The morning hour has gold in its mouth)
  • Italian: Chi dorme non piglia pesci (literally: Whoever sleeps catches no fish)
  • Portuguese: Deus ajuda quem cedo madruga (literally: God helps those who rise early)
  • Dutch: De morgenstond heeft goud in de mond (literally: The morning hour has gold in its mouth)
  • Russian: Кто рано встаёт, тому Бог подаёт (Kto rano vstayot, tomu Bog podayot) (literally: God gives to whoever rises early)
  • Polish: Kto rano wstaje, temu Pan Bóg daje (literally: God gives to whoever rises early)

Origin: France's answer to the early bird: it promises not a worm but the whole future.

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