Time is the wisest counselor.

Attributed to the Athenian statesman Pericles, the saying expresses a pragmatic political and moral insight: time, more than any adviser, clarifies consequences, exposes errors, and reveals what is durable versus merely fashionable. It suggests patience in judgment and policy—allowing events to unfold can supply evidence that argument alone cannot. The aphorism also implies humility: human counsel is partial and interested, while time “counsels” impersonally through outcomes. In a civic context, it can be read as a warning against rash decisions in moments of passion, urging leaders and citizens to let deliberation and experience temper immediate impulses.

Time is the best counselor.