He who hesitates is lost

This is a popular English proverb advising that indecision or delay often leads to missed opportunities or failure. The proverb is an adaption of a line from the 1712 play Cato, A Tragedy by Joseph Addison. In the play, the character Marcia says, "The woman that deliberates is lost". He who hesitates is lost has better alliteration than the original line, but it is interesting that it was first applied to the opposite sex.