Time and tide tarry for no man.
Meaning: Constant natural forces—time's flow and ocean's tides—proceed indifferently; delay ensures you'll miss opportunities.
Origin: One of the oldest sayings in English: a version is recorded around 1225. "Tide" here originally meant a time or season, as in Christmastide, not the rise and fall of the sea — though the ocean reading has long since taken over.
More proverbs about Perseverance
- Time is the rider that breaks youth. — Youth's strength and invulnerability gradually diminish as years pass and experiences acc…
- What is a workman without his tools? — A skilled person stripped of necessary resources cannot apply their expertise effectively.
- Trade knows neither friends nor kindred. — Business transactions dissolve personal loyalties; profit motives override familial bonds…
- Fall not out with a friend for a trifle. — Friendships are too valuable to sacrifice over minor disagreements or petty disputes.
- He who seeketh trouble never misseth it. — Persistent negativity and conflict-seeking behavior inevitably attract the very problems…
- Trust in God, and keep your powder dry. — Maintain faith while preparing pragmatically for conflict; spiritual confidence shouldn't…
From our tongue twisters
- 四是四，十是十，十四是十四，四十是四十。(Sì shì sì, shí shì shí, shísì shì shísì, sìshí shì sìshí.) — A pure sì/shí tone drill — the two numbers are near-identical and the tones swap each tim…
- 吃葡萄不吐葡萄皮，不吃葡萄倒吐葡萄皮。(Chī pútao bù tǔ pútao pí, bù chī pútao dào tǔ pútao pí.) — A 'pú/tǔ/pí' drill with reversing logic — the negations flip the meaning as the tongue tr…
- 黑化肥发黑会挥发；灰化肥发灰会挥发。(Hēihuàféi fā hēi huì huīfā; huīhuàféi fā huī huì huīfā.) — A 'hēi/huī/huì/fā' four-tone minefield — the tones alone change every meaning.