You cannot step into the same river twice
Meaning: Everything is constantly in flux; no experience can ever truly be repeated.
Origin: Ancient Greek philosophy attributed to Heraclitus of Ephesus (c. 500 BC), father of the doctrine of change.
Translations
- French: On ne se baigne jamais deux fois dans le même fleuve (literally: One never bathes twice in the same river)
- Spanish: Nunca te bañas dos veces en el mismo río (literally: You never bathe twice in the same river)
- Japanese: 同じ川に二度入ることはできない (Onaji kawa ni nido hairu koto wa dekinai) (literally: You cannot step into the same river twice)
More proverbs about Wisdom
- A little knowledge is a dangerous thing — Partial knowledge breeds overconfidence and can be more harmful than honest ignorance.
- The frog in the well knows not the great ocean — Those with limited experience cannot comprehend the vastness of the wider world.
- A good beginning makes a good ending — How you start something largely determines how it will finish; preparation and intention…
- He who knows others is wise; he who knows himself is enlightened — Understanding others requires wisdom, but self-knowledge is the highest form of understan…
- Measure twice, cut once — Take time to plan carefully before acting, to avoid costly and irreversible mistakes.
- The best mirror is an old friend — True friends who have known us for a long time see us most clearly and honestly.
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