a stitch in time saves nine

English

Alternative forms

• a stitch in time short form

Etymology

From the practice of mending a small tear in cloth before it becomes a larger one.

Proverb

a stitch in time saves nine

1. A little effort expended sooner to fix a small problem, prevents it from becoming a larger problem requiring more effort to fix later; A little preparation can eliminate the need for repairs later; consistency (achieving a set rhythm) is better than trying to rush ahead.

Translations

a timely effort can prevent larger problems

• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 小洞不補，大洞吃苦 (cmn), 小洞不补，大洞吃苦 (cmn) (xiǎo dòng bù bǔ, dà dòng chīkǔ), 防微杜漸 (cmn), 防微杜渐 (cmn) (fángwēidùjiàn)

• Finnish: parempi katsoa kuin katua (fi)
• French: mieux vaut prévenir que guérir (fr)
• German: was du heute kannst besorgen, das verschiebe nicht auf morgen (de)
• Hungarian: a rest kétszer fárad (hu)
• Korean: 호미로 막을 것을 가래로 막는다 (ko) (homi-ro mag-eul geos-eul garae-ro mag-neun-da) (what can be stopped up with a short-handled hoe must be done with a shovel later)

• Portuguese: é melhor prevenir do que remediar (pt)
• Russian: дорога ложка к обеду (ru) (dorogá lóžka k obédu) (a spoon is precious by lunchtime), один стежок, сделанный вовремя, стоит девяти (ru) (odín stežók, sdélannyj vóvremja, stóit devjatí)
• Serbo-Croatian: ono što možeš učiniti danas, ne ostavljaj za sutra (sh)
• Spanish: más vale prevenir que curar (es)