There's no time like the present

[Theseus]

Said to encourage someone to take action immediately instead of waiting/it is far better to do something now than to leave it for later, in which case it might never get done:-
--Go ahead and call him—there's no time like the present.
This adage was first recorded in 1562. One compiler of proverbs, John Trusler, amplified it: “No time like the present, a thousand unforeseen circumstances may interrupt you at a future time” (Proverbs Exemplified, 1790).

 

[daeman]

...
Μην αναβάλλεις για αύριο ό,τι μπορείς να κάνεις σήμερα.

Στη βράση κολλάει το σίδερο (strike while the iron is hot).

Όταν περνά ο λαγός τού παίζουνε (shoot the hare while it passes, [don't wait until it's gone]).

 

[Hellegennes]

I can think of many equivalent proverbs in Greek.

Το γοργόν και χάριν έχει
Ο χρόνος είναι χρήμα
Μην αναβάλλεις για αύριο ότι μπορείς να κάνεις σήμερα
Στη βράση κολλάει το σίδερο

 

[Zazula]

 

[daeman]

Ες αύριον τα σπουδαία

For there came a messenger from Athens, from Archias the hierophant to his namesake Archias, who was his guest-friend, bearing a letter which contained no empty nor false suspicion, but stated clearly all the details of the scheme that was on foot, as was subsequently learned. At the time, however, Archias was drunk, and the bearer of the letter was brought to him and put it into his hands, saying: "The sender of this bade thee read it at once; for it is on serious business." Then Archias answered with a smile: "Serious business for the morrow"; and when he had received the letter he put it under his pillow, and resumed his casual conversation with Phillidas. Wherefore these words of his are a current proverb to this day among the Greeks.

Plutarch, The Parallel Lives, The Life of Pelopidas

ἧκε γάρ τις ἐξ Ἀθηνῶν παρ' Ἀρχίου τοῦ ἱεροφάντου πρὸς Ἀρχίαν τὸν ὁμώνυμον, ξένον ὄντα καὶ φίλον, ἐπιστολὴν κομίζων οὐ κενὴν ἔχουσαν οὐδὲ πεπλασμένην ὑπόνοιαν, ἀλλὰ σαφῶς ἕκαστα περὶ τῶν πρασσομένων φάσκουσαν, ὡς ὕστερον ἐπεγνώσθη. τότε δὲ μεθύοντι τῷ Ἀρχίᾳ προσαχθεὶς ὁ γραμματοφόρος καὶ τὴν ἐπιστολὴν ἐπιδούς "ὁ ταύτην" ἔφη "πέμψας ἐκέλευσεν εὐθὺς ἀναγνῶναι· περὶ σπουδαίων γάρ τινων γεγράφθαι." καὶ ὁ Ἀρχίας μειδιάσας "οὐκοῦν εἰς αὔριον" ἔφη "τὰ σπουδαῖα," καὶ τὴν ἐπιστολὴν δεξάμενος ὑπὸ τὸ προσκεφάλαιον ὑπέθηκεν, αὐτὸς δὲ πάλιν τῷ Φυλλίδᾳ περὶ ὧν ἐτύγχανον διαλεγόμενοι προσεῖχεν. ὁ μὲν οὖν λόγος οὗτος ἐν παροιμίας τάξει περιφερόμενος μέχρι νῦν διασῴζεται παρὰ τοῖς Ἕλλησι.

http://el.wikisource.org/wiki/Πελοπίδας

 

[nickel]

Μην αναβάλλεις για αύριο ότι μπορείς να κάνεις σήμερα

Μην αναβάλλεις για αύριο ό,τι μπορείς να κάνεις σήμερα

Εκτός από κομματόσκυλο, θα γίνω και υποδιαστόλαρχος. :)

http://lexilogia.gr/forum/showthread.php?999-απ-ότι-ή-απ-ό-τι-απ-ό-τι
http://sarantakos.wordpress.com/2012/02/28/otikioti/

 

[Hellegennes]

Αν δεν το είχες επισημάνει, δεν θα το παρατηρούσα. Η συντακτική έλξη, που έλεγα στο άλλο νήμα.

 

[Themis†]

Επίσης: Η καλύτερη ώρα είναι τώρα.

 

[Earion]

Και δύο της παλιάς γενιάς:

• Αν όχι τώρα, πότε; (Αν όχι εμείς, ποιοι;)
• Χτες ήταν πολύ νωρίς. Αύριο θα είναι πολύ αργά.

 

[Hellegennes]

There's also the classic "ή τώρα ή ποτέ" but this has a slightly different meaning.

 

[daeman]

...
It's now or never - Elvis Presley