Time and tide wait for no man.

“Time and tide wait for no man.” Thus spoke Geoffrey Chaucer, the father of English poetry, in words as sharp and enduring as the edge of the sea itself. In this brief utterance lies a truth carved into the very fabric of existence: that time, relentless and unyielding, flows forward without pause, and that the tide, rising and falling in its eternal rhythm, heeds no plea from kings or beggars alike. It is the great equalizer, sparing no man, no nation, no empire. Those who would act must act now, for once the tide is missed, it will not return for the waiting.

The origin of this proverb rests in the wisdom of the Middle Ages, a time when life was harsh, fleeting, and uncertain. Chaucer, a man who witnessed both courts of power and the struggles of the common folk, knew how easily opportunity slipped away. Just as the sea, with its tides, follows only the pull of the heavens, so too does time obey no master. He gave voice to this eternal lesson, urging his listeners to seize their moment, to act while the chance was theirs, for delay is the faithful servant of regret.

History testifies to this truth again and again. Consider the fate of the Spanish Armada in 1588. When Spain launched its mighty fleet against England, delays, storms, and indecision doomed its mission. While the ships tarried and the winds shifted, opportunity slipped beyond their grasp, and what might have been triumph turned into disaster. The tide of fortune had come, and when it was not seized, it was lost forever. Here Chaucer’s wisdom rings clear: no man, not even the mightiest monarch, can command the clock or the sea.

So too in the lives of great men and women. Joan of Arc, a peasant girl, seized the moment when France was despairing. She did not wait for better days, nor linger for clearer signs, but stepped forth when her country’s need was greatest. The tide of destiny rose, and she leapt into it with courage, lifting a nation from ruin. Had she hesitated, the moment would have vanished, and her name would never have been etched into the annals of history. She embodies Chaucer’s call: act when the hour is upon you, for it will not return.

And yet, how many lives have been wasted in the illusion of plenty! Men tell themselves there is more time, that tomorrow will be kinder, that opportunities will wait. But time is a river whose waters never flow backward, and tide is a sea that turns without mercy. The man who waits finds only loss; the man who seizes the hour finds destiny. Chaucer’s proverb is not only a warning but a call to arms: live with urgency, for delay is death’s companion.

The lesson for future generations is plain: honor the fleeting gift of time. Do not squander it in idleness, nor let fear bind your hands. Recognize the rising tide of opportunity, and step into it before it withdraws. For the tide returns, but never the same; and time lost is time buried, never to be unearthed again. The wise do not wait for perfect conditions, but act in the imperfection of the present, knowing that only action gives shape to life.

Practical actions follow from this wisdom: begin the work you have delayed, speak the word of love you have withheld, take the step toward the dream you have feared. Rise early, live earnestly, and guard against procrastination, for time and tide wait for no man. Let every day be a victory over delay, a step taken before the tide withdraws. In so doing, your life will not be squandered in waiting, but crowned in action.

So let Chaucer’s words be carried like a banner through the ages: “Time and tide wait for no man.” Remember always that the river flows, the sea turns, and life does not wait. Seize the moment with courage and resolve, and let not opportunity slip into the abyss of regret. For the man who acts in his hour will find himself borne upon the tide of greatness.