Procrastination is the thief of time.

“Procrastination is the thief of time.” Thus declared Edward Young, the poet of the night, whose words pierce through the ages like a blade of truth. In this brief yet eternal saying, he warns mankind of an unseen enemy—not the soldier with sword in hand, nor the tyrant with chains, but the soft and silent whisper that says: “Wait… not now.” This thief does not storm the gates, but slips silently into the chambers of our lives, stealing from us the most precious treasure we possess: time.

For what is time but the very fabric of existence? It is the breath we draw, the steps we take, the rise and fall of the sun. It cannot be hoarded, it cannot be purchased, it cannot be won back once lost. Yet how carelessly men surrender it! They say, “Tomorrow I shall begin; tomorrow I shall labor; tomorrow I shall live.” But tomorrow is a phantom, and while men chase its shadow, the present is plundered by procrastination, that subtle robber cloaked in comfort.

History is filled with the ruins of those who fell victim to this thief. Consider the fall of ancient Carthage, once mighty upon the seas. When Rome pressed upon her walls, the leaders delayed, hesitated, postponed their decisions. They believed there would always be more time to prepare, more time to negotiate, more time to act. Yet the legions did not wait, and soon Carthage was dust and ashes. Their hesitation became their undoing, and their greatness was stolen away forever. So it is with nations, and so it is with every human soul.

But look also to the example of those who conquered procrastination and seized the fleeting hour. Alexander the Great, in his youth, declared there was no time to waste. He drove his armies across continents, achieving in a single decade what most empires could not in centuries. While his life was short, his deeds were vast, because he refused to let the thief of time enter his tent. He shows us that to act with urgency, to honor the present, is to multiply the power of one’s days.

How often do men say, “I shall write when I am older, I shall learn when I have leisure, I shall love when the time is right”? And yet the years pass, swift as arrows, and when they reach for their dreams, they find only empty hands. For the thief has already been there, plundering their hours. Edward Young, in his meditations, saw this truth in the stillness of night, when mortality presses heavy on the heart. He knew that to delay is to invite ruin, for life itself is but a brief candle.

Therefore, the lesson is plain: guard your time as a king guards his crown. Do not yield it to the comforts of delay. Rise at once when duty calls; speak today the words of love you would utter; begin now the labor of your dreams. Let your hours be spent with purpose, for once they pass, they pass forever. To live well is to stand watch against the thief, to keep your lamp lit, to make each day a fortress against idleness.

So let this truth be engraved upon the heart: Procrastination is the thief of time. Do not wait for life to begin, for it is already flowing through your fingers. Begin now, act now, love now, live now. And when the end of days arrives, you shall not weep for hours lost, but rejoice that you defended your treasure, and spent it wisely in the service of greatness.