Not lehrt beten

Meaning: Hardship makes even unbelievers turn to prayer.

Literally: Need teaches praying

Example: “Im Sturm hat sogar er gebetet. Not lehrt beten.” — Even he prayed during the storm: there are no atheists in foxholes.

Equivalents in English, French, Spanish, Japanese, and Dutch

English: He that would learn to pray let him go to sea.
French: Qui veut apprendre à prier, aille souvent sur la mer (literally: If a man would learn to pray let him go often to sea)
Spanish: Quien no sabe rezar, que se meta en el mar (literally: He who does not know how to pray, let him go out to sea)
Japanese: 苦しい時の神頼み (Kurushii toki no kamidanomi) (literally: Praying to the gods in times of distress)
Dutch: Die wil leren bidden, moet zich op zee begeven (literally: Whoever wants to learn to pray must go to sea)

Origin: People who never pray start when they are in trouble; English sends them to sea to learn.

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