Some one speaks admirably of the well-ripened fruit of sage delay.
—Honore de Balzac (1799–1850) French Novelist
Every delay is hateful, but it gives wisdom.
—Publilius Syrus (fl.85–43 BCE) Syrian-born Roman Latin Writer
The procrastinator is not only indolent and weak but commonly false too; most of the weak are false.
—Johann Kaspar Lavater (1741–1801) Swiss Theologian, Poet
One of the illusions of life is that the present hour is not the critical, decisive hour. Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year. No man has learned anything rightly, until he knows that every day is Doomsday.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
Delay has always been injurious to those who are prepared.
—Lucian (c.120–c.200 CE) Greek Satirist, Rhetorician, Writer
A delay is better than disaster.
—Anonymous
Where duty is plain delay is both foolish and hazardous; where it is not, delay may be both wisdom and safety.
—Tryon Edwards American Theologian
The surest method of arriving at a knowledge of God’s eternal purposes about us is to be found in the right use of the present moment. Each hour comes with some little fagot of God’s will fastened upon its back.
—Frederick William Faber (1814–63) British Hymn Writer, Theologian
God keep you from “It is too late.” When the fool has made up his mind the market has gone by.
—Spanish Proverb
Tomorrow I will live, the fool does say: today itself’s too late; the wise lived yesterday.
—Martial (40–104) Ancient Roman Latin Poet
No man ever served God by doing things tomorrow. If we honor Christ, and are blessed, it is by the things which we do today.
—Edward Young (1683–1765) English Poet
Time drinketh up the essence of every great and noble action which ought to be performed but is delayed in the execution.
—The Panchatantra Indian Collection of Fables and Folktales
Procrastination is the thief of time; year after year it steals, till all are fled, and to the mercies of a moment leaves the vast concerns of an eternal state. At thirty, man suspects himself a fool; knows it at forty, and reforms his plan; at fifty chides his infamous delay, pushes his prudent purpose to resolve; in all the magnanimity of thought, resolves, and re-resolves, then dies the same.
—Edward Young (1683–1765) English Poet
In delay we waste our lights in vain, like lamps by day.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
He that takes time to resolve, gives leisure to deny, and warning to prepare.
—Francis Quarles (1592–1644) English Religious Poet
Defer no time; delays have dangerous ends.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow, creeps in this petty pace from day to day, to the last syllable of recorded time; and all our yesterdays have lighted fools the way to dusty death.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
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