German originMorgenstund hat Gold im Mund
Meaning: The early morning is the best time to get things done.
Literally: The morning hour has gold in its mouth
Example: “Ich schreibe am liebsten um sechs Uhr früh. Morgenstund hat Gold im Mund.” — I like to write at six in the morning: the early bird catches the worm.
Equivalents in English, French, Spanish, Japanese, Italian, and 4 more languages
English: The early bird catches the worm
French: L'avenir appartient à ceux qui se lèvent tôt (literally: The future belongs to those who wake up early)
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)
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: The rhyme keeps the old short forms Stund and Mund for Stunde and Munde; the Wahrig etymological dictionary dates the saying to 1585. The gold is usually explained by Aurora, goddess of the dawn, pictured with gold in her hair and mouth, and a Latin schoolbook line, aurora habet aurum in ore, is often named as its model. Neither explanation is confirmed, and neither is the popular claim that it goes back to Erasmus's aurora musis amica, dawn is a friend of the Muses.
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