ProverbWisdom
American origin
American originThe best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago; the second best time is now
Meaning: The right time to act is always now, no matter how late it feels.
Origin: Usually called a Chinese proverb, but Quote Investigator found no evidence of a Chinese source. The pattern is older in American print: an 1881 Pennsylvania newspaper advised that spring was the best time for setting strawberry plants and "the next best time is now," and tree versions naming ten, twenty or thirty years circulated in the 20th century.
Equivalents in German
German: Besser spät als nie (literally: Better late than never)
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Colorful expressions from dozens of languages, with their word-for-word translations.
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