Time gives good advice. (El tiempo da buen consejo.)

“El tiempo da buen consejo” is a traditional Spanish proverb (refrán) that circulates widely in oral culture and in collections of Spanish sayings. Like many proverbs about patience and prudence, it reflects everyday experience rather than a single identifiable historical moment or author: decisions made in haste often look different after emotions cool and more information emerges. The saying is commonly invoked to recommend waiting before acting, letting circumstances develop, or allowing distance from a problem to clarify what to do next. Because it is proverbial, it is typically transmitted anonymously and appears in many anthologies without a fixed first attestation.

The proverb personifies time as a counselor: by waiting, one gains perspective, learns consequences, and sees options that were invisible in the heat of the moment. It endorses deliberation over impulsiveness and suggests that some problems resolve—or at least become intelligible—through the mere passage of time. The “advice” time gives can be practical (new facts surface, tensions subside) or moral (reflection tempers anger, pride, or fear). As a piece of folk wisdom, it also implies limits to human foresight: when certainty is unavailable, patience can be a rational strategy, allowing judgment to mature before commitment.

“El tiempo es buen consejero.”
“El tiempo es el mejor consejero.”
“Time is a good counselor.”