<blockquote>
<p><em>&quot;Whatever you can do today, don't postpone it to tomorrow&quot;</em></p>
</blockquote>
<ol>
<li>This common Chinese saying may had the same origin as the quote in the question:</li>
</ol>
<blockquote>
<p>&quot;<strong>今天的事今天做</strong>&quot;</p>
<p>&quot;<strong>Don't put off till tomorrow what you can do today</strong>.&quot;</p>
<p><em>This phrase is so common, it is in grade school textbooks</em></p>
<p>variant: <strong>今日事今日做</strong></p>
</blockquote>
<ol start="2">
<li>The idiom 坐言起行 express a similar sentiment in a stronger sense.</li>
</ol>
<blockquote>
<p>&quot;<strong>坐言起行</strong>&quot;</p>
<p><strong>Once decided, act immediately</strong>; <strong>When plan is formulated, implement it without delay</strong></p>
</blockquote>
<ol start="3">
<li>There's also a common Chinese expression expressing the similar sentiment</li>
</ol>
<blockquote>
<p>&quot;<strong>有花堪折直須折</strong>, (莫待無花空折枝)&quot;</p>
<p>&quot;<strong>Pick the flower when it is time</strong> , (don't wait til there's no flower but stem left to be picked.)&quot;</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Original poem:</p>
<blockquote>
<p><em>金縷衣(七言樂府詩)</em></p>
<p><em>勸君莫惜金縷衣，勸君惜取少年時。</em></p>
<p><em>花開堪折直須折，莫待無花空折枝。</em></p>
<p><em>作者: 杜秋娘</em></p>
<p><em>Gold Linen Jacket (seven words Yuefu poem)</em></p>
<p>&quot;<em>You should not cherish gold linen jacket, you should cherish youthful days.</em>&quot;</p>
<p>&quot;<em>Pick flower when it blooms, don't wait til there's no flower but stem left to be picked.</em>&quot;</p>
<p><em>Author: Du Qiuniang</em></p>
</blockquote>
<p>Side note :</p>
<p>A completely opposite sentiment expressed in another poem is also very famous.</p>
<p>&quot;今朝有酒今朝醉，(明日愁來明日憂)&quot;</p>
<p>&quot;Drink when you have wine today, (worry about tomorrow's problems when tomorrow comes)&quot;</p>
<p>Original poem:</p>
<blockquote>
<p><em>唐·罗隐</em></p>
<p><em>得即高歌失即休，多愁多恨亦悠悠。</em></p>
<p><em>今朝有酒今朝醉，明日愁来明日愁。</em></p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-07-20T21:57:13.570Z
2017-07-21T00:17:23.217Z
2020-06-17T09:50:11.587Z
Tang Ho
<p>今日事，今日毕。</p>

<p>Here 今日 means "today's" or "... of today". 事 means things in general, and 毕 means finish. So altogether, it means, literally but somewhat awkward in English, "Finish the things to be done today within today".</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-07-20T22:21:38.640Z
2017-07-20T22:21:38.640Z
Xiang Zhao
<blockquote>
<p>明日复明日, 明日何其多.</p>
<p>我生待明日, 万事成蹉跎.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Tomorrow and tomorrow, tomorrow there are too many.</p>
<p>I wait for tomorrow all my life,  and all things can not be done.</p>
<p>明日歌, A famous poem written 钱鹤滩</p>
<blockquote>
<p>今日复今日，今日何其少！</p>
<p>今日又不为，此事何时了.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Today and today, today is too less.
Not do it today, when will be done</p>
<p>今日诗, written by 文嘉</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-07-21T08:42:20.870Z
2017-07-21T08:42:20.870Z
2020-06-17T09:50:11.587Z
sfy
<p>I just learned a German proverb: </p>

<blockquote>
  <p>"Was du heute kannst besorgen, das verschiebe nicht auf morgen," </p>
</blockquote>

<p>which can be translated as:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>"Whatever you can do today, don't postpone it to tomorrow"</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Is there a 成语 or 古语 which has the same meaning?  I might use it in the context of encouraging someone to not procrastinate. </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-07-20T19:56:39.600Z
web search using "关于拖延的成语" will yield many 成语 expressing procrastination in different words, Linguee: There's no time like the present. jukuu: **机不可失,时不再来。** 
Procrastination is the thief of time.拖延为时间之贼
user6065
<word-requests><chengyu>
"Whatever you can do today, don't postpone it to tomorrow"
# "Whatever you can do today, don't postpone it to tomorrow"

(Asked by: username_0 on 2017-07-20)

I just learned a German proverb:

> "Was du heute kannst besorgen, das verschiebe nicht auf morgen,"

which can be translated as:

> "Whatever you can do today, don't postpone it to tomorrow"

Is there a 成语 or 古语 which has the same meaning? I might use it in the context of encouraging someone to not procrastinate.

**Tags:** word-requests, chengyu

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: web search using "关于拖延的成语" will yield many 成语 expressing procrastination in different words, Linguee: There's no time like the present. jukuu: **机不可失,时不再来。**  Procrastination is the thief of time.拖延为时间之贼  

---

## 3 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2017-07-20. Score: 5

> *"Whatever you can do today, don't postpone it to tomorrow"*

1. This common Chinese saying may had the same origin as the quote in the question:

> "**今天的事今天做**"
>
> "**Don't put off till tomorrow what you can do today**."
>
> *This phrase is so common, it is in grade school textbooks*
>
> variant: **今日事今日做**

2. The idiom 坐言起行 express a similar sentiment in a stronger sense.

> "**坐言起行**"
>
> **Once decided, act immediately**; **When plan is formulated, implement it without delay**

3. There's also a common Chinese expression expressing the similar sentiment

> "**有花堪折直須折**, (莫待無花空折枝)"
>
> "**Pick the flower when it is time** , (don't wait til there's no flower but stem left to be picked.)"

Original poem:

> *金縷衣(七言樂府詩)*
>
> *勸君莫惜金縷衣，勸君惜取少年時。*
>
> *花開堪折直須折，莫待無花空折枝。*
>
> *作者: 杜秋娘*
>
> *Gold Linen Jacket (seven words Yuefu poem)*
>
> "*You should not cherish gold linen jacket, you should cherish youthful days.*"
>
> "*Pick flower when it blooms, don't wait til there's no flower but stem left to be picked.*"
>
> *Author: Du Qiuniang*

Side note :

A completely opposite sentiment expressed in another poem is also very famous.

"今朝有酒今朝醉，(明日愁來明日憂)"

"Drink when you have wine today, (worry about tomorrow's problems when tomorrow comes)"

Original poem:

> *唐·罗隐*
>
> *得即高歌失即休，多愁多恨亦悠悠。*
>
> *今朝有酒今朝醉，明日愁来明日愁。*


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### Answer by username_3 on 2017-07-20. Score: 2

今日事，今日毕。

Here 今日 means "today's" or "... of today". 事 means things in general, and 毕 means finish. So altogether, it means, literally but somewhat awkward in English, "Finish the things to be done today within today".


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### Answer by username_4 on 2017-07-21. Score: 0

> 明日复明日, 明日何其多.
>
> 我生待明日, 万事成蹉跎.

Tomorrow and tomorrow, tomorrow there are too many.

I wait for tomorrow all my life, and all things can not be done.

明日歌, A famous poem written 钱鹤滩

> 今日复今日，今日何其少！
>
> 今日又不为，此事何时了.

Today and today, today is too less.
Not do it today, when will be done

今日诗, written by 文嘉


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