
ProverbWisdom
English origin1693
Marry in haste, repent at leisure
Meaning: (by extension) Joining (or merging) two things together too soon will lead to problems.
Who said it? William Congreve, The Old Bachelor, 1693
Origin: From William Congreve's comedy The Old Bachelor (1693): "Thus grief still treads upon the heels of pleasure: / Married in haste, we may repent at leisure." A hasty wedding, it warns, leaves a lifetime to regret it.
Equivalents in French, Spanish, German, Italian, and Portuguese
French: Qui se marie à la hâte, se repent à loisir (literally: Marry in haste and repent at leisure)
Spanish: Antes que te cases, mira lo que haces (literally: Before you marry, look at what you are doing)
German: Heiraten in Eile bereut man mit Weile (literally: Marrying in haste, one regrets at leisure)
Italian: Chi si marita in fretta, stenta adagio (literally: Whoever marries in haste suffers at leisure)
Portuguese: Antes que cases, vê o que fazes (literally: Before you marry, look at what you're doing)
Explore another collection: Untranslatable Words
Words that capture a feeling or idea English needs a whole sentence for.
- Ikigai The thing that makes you want to get out of bed — the intersection of what you love, what…
- Ma The meaningful negative space between things — a deliberate pause in music, an empty room…
- Natsukashii A warm, nostalgic rush triggered by something from the past — a smell, a song, a sight. N…
Keep exploring