Make hay while the sun shines.
Meaning: Seize opportunities during favorable conditions before circumstances change and make progress impossible.
Origin: Alexander Barclay's satire The Ship of Fools (1509) has an early form, and John Heywood's 1546 collection gives "When the sun shineth, make hay," adding: take time when time cometh, lest time steal away. Cut grass must dry before it can be stored, so farmers had to seize every run of fine weather. It means making the most of an opportunity while it lasts.
More proverbs about Wisdom
- He that hath no head, needs no hat. — The physically disabled or disadvantaged face absurd social expectations about conforming…
- Better be the head of an ass than the tail of a horse. — Leading a humble domain grants more authority and respect than serving in an exalted posi…
- When the head aches, all the body is the worse. — A leader's weakness or poor decisions inevitably harm everyone under their authority.
- God healeth, and the physician hath the thanks. — Skilled professionals receive credit for outcomes they facilitate, even when forces beyon…
- Where the hedge is lowest, men commonly leap over. — Temptation proves strongest where safeguards are weakest, inviting transgression.
- A low hedge is easily leapt over. — Weak boundaries invite transgression; those who set minimal standards find them readily i…
From our idioms
- a cereja do bolo — the crowning touch; something wonderful that completes something already good.
- brincar com fogo — to engage in a risky or dangerous behavior; to put oneself in harm's way.
- de tempos em tempos — from time to time; occasionally or intermittently.