Maxim

Be patient; endure, and let things ripen.

“Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.”

— Qoheleth (the Preacher), Ecclesiastes 7:8 (KJV) · source Verified
Judaism · Ancient (before 200 BCE)
Translation: King James Version (public domain)

Watch on YouTube: Joachim de Posada: Don't eat the marshmallow! ↗Joachim de Posada discusses delayed gratification

Much of what matters grows slowly and cannot be hurried. Patience is the quiet strength that holds steady through difficulty and waits for the right moment.

Related expressions

“O ye who believe! seek help with patience and with prayer, for God is with the patient.”
— The Qur'an, Qur'an 2:153 (Sura Al-Baqara, 'The Cow'), tr. J. M. Rodwell
IslamMedieval (600 – 1500)relation: expressesVerifiedsourceTranslation: public-domain translation (J. M. Rodwell)
“Nobody can be given a blessing better and greater than patience.”
— The Prophet Muhammad (narrated by Abu Sa'id Al-Khudri), Sahih al-Bukhari 1469
IslamMedieval (600 – 1500)relation: expressesVerifiedsourceTranslation: Muhsin Khan translation, as given on sunnah.com
“But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.”
— James, James 1:4 (KJV)
ChristianityClassical (200 BCE – 600 CE)relation: expressesVerifiedsourceTranslation: King James Version (public domain)
“Do not be desirous to have things done quickly; do not look at small advantages. Desire to have things done quickly prevents their being done thoroughly.”
— Confucius, Analects 13.17, tr. James Legge
ConfucianismAncient (before 200 BCE)relation: similarVerifiedsourceTranslation: public-domain translation (Legge)

Score

Moral Rank 66.3 · Evidence E = 14.85

E = ln(1+3.97) + √3.97 + 3·2.25 + 1.5·3 = 14.85

How this is scored