ProverbWisdom
Greek originc. 500 BC
Greek originc. 500 BCYou cannot step into the same river twice
Meaning: Everything is constantly in flux; no experience can ever truly be repeated.
Who said it? Heraclitus, Greek philosopher, c. 500 BC
Origin: From the Greek philosopher Heraclitus (c. 500 BC), as paraphrased in Plato's Cratylus: everything flows, and you cannot step twice into the same river, because fresh waters are always flowing past. The saying expresses his view that the world is constant change.
Equivalents in French, Spanish, and German
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)
German: Man kann nicht zweimal in denselben Fluss steigen (literally: One cannot step into the same river twice)
Explore another collection: False Friends
Words that look familiar in another language but mean something else entirely.
Keep exploring