You cannot succeed or get what you want if you are lazy or inactive. Opportunities require alertness and effort.
Fishing in Italian coastal and river communities required rising before dawn to reach the best spots and catch fish when they were most active near the surface. A fisherman who slept in would find both the best positions taken by rivals and the fish already retreating to deeper water. The proverb therefore grew directly from a lived economic reality experienced by millions of Italians who depended on fishing for their livelihood. It was recorded in Venetian and Neapolitan collections from the sixteenth century and became one of the most widely circulated sayings in the country. Unlike some proverbs that require explanation, this one communicates its meaning almost instantly through an image everyone understands. It is often used by Italian parents addressing children who resist getting out of bed for school or work, and it has a brisk, unsympathetic tone that suggests there is no excuse for missing an opportunity through laziness. The English 'The early bird catches the worm' and 'You snooze, you lose' are close equivalents in spirit.
Rooted in Italian fishing culture; earliest printed records in Venetian and Neapolitan collections of the 1500s.
Morning work ethic
Svegliati! Chi dorme non piglia pesci — il negozio apre tra un'ora.
Wake up! You can't catch fish while sleeping — the shop opens in an hour.
Job applications
Se aspetti ancora una settimana a mandare il CV, chi dorme non piglia pesci.
If you wait another week to send your CV, you can't catch fish while sleeping.
Online sales
Le offerte del Black Friday finiscono in pochi minuti. Chi dorme non piglia pesci!
Black Friday deals are gone in minutes. You can't catch fish while sleeping!
A student
Non hai studiato per il compito perché guardavi la televisione? Chi dorme non piglia pesci.
You didn't study for the test because you were watching TV? You can't catch fish while sleeping.