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Nothing ventured, nothing gained

Meaning: You must take risks to achieve rewards.

Origin: English proverb from the 14th century, related to Chaucer.

Translations

  • French: Qui ne risque rien n'a rien (literally: Who risks nothing has nothing)
  • Spanish: Quien no arriesga, no gana (literally: Who doesn't risk, doesn't win)
  • Japanese: 虎穴に入らずんば虎子を得ず (Koketsu ni irazunba koji wo ezu) (literally: Without entering the tiger's den, you cannot get the tiger's cub)

More proverbs about Challenge

  • Out of the frying pan, into the fire — Escaping one bad situation only to end up in a worse one.
  • The road to success is paved with failure — Success requires learning from mistakes.
  • Walk softly and carry a big stick — Act gently but maintain the power to enforce if needed.
  • Opportunity knocks but once — Chances don't come twice; seize them when they appear.
  • The bigger the risk, the bigger the reward — Greater rewards require greater risks.
  • Divide and conquer — Achieve dominance by breaking opposition into smaller parts.

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