'Rome was not built in a day' is a very famous English proverb that teaches us the value of patience, perseverance, and hard work.
The original phrase was actually French ('Rome ne fu[t] pas faite toute en un jour') from an old 12th-century poem, which was later translated and popularized in English.
The proverb means that great, important, or complex tasks take a long time to complete.
You cannot expect instant success or immediate results when working on something significant. Just like the magnificent city of Rome took centuries to become a great empire, achieving your big goals requires time, patience, and steady effort.
Student: 'I have been studying the guitar for a week, but I still can't play this song properly.'
Teacher: 'Don't give up! Keep practicing. Remember, Rome wasn't built in a day.'
'You can't expect the business to become profitable in just one month. Rome wasn't built in a day.'
The perfect Hindi equivalent for this proverb is: हथेली पर सरसों नहीं जमती (Hatheli par sarson nahi jamti). (Literal meaning: Mustard seeds cannot be grown instantly on your palm).
A popular, clever follow-up quote is: *'Rome wasn't built in a day, but they were laying bricks every hour.'* This means that while things take time, you still have to put in continuous daily work.
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